Judge Gives Surfer 9 Months for Assault on Teenager at Beach

A surfer was sentenced to nine months in jail and banned from a Ventura County beach for three years for slamming his board into the face of a teenager who tried to surf a wave he claimed.

Allen “Carter” Slade, 32, had been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and felony witness intimidation after violently enforcing a “locals only” credo at Silver Strand beach, a popular surf spot.

Ventura County prosecutors hope the judge’s ruling to prohibit Slade from surfing Silver Strand will discourage such bullying.

“The no-surf terms really strike at the heart of what we are trying to stop,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Chrystina Jenson.

The assault occurred last summer during a swell at the Oxnard-area beach where clashes between local and out-of-town surfers have erupted for years.

The trouble started when a 19-year-old Port Hueneme surfer dropped in on a wave Slade claimed.

Slade, who lives in the Silver Strand neighborhood, responded by paddling up to the teenager, yanking the intruder’s board leash and spearing the teenager in the face with the tip of his own surfboard, Jenson said.

A second surfer, a 35-year-old man who also lives at Silver Strand, witnessed the assault, paddled over to help the injured teenager and encouraged him to report the incident to police, Jenson said.

“The defendant threatened him and said, ‘Watch your back. You’re next,’ ” she said.

Two days later, Slade identified the man to a surfing buddy, Jason Brouchard, who punched him, rupturing his eardrum, Jenson said. Brouchard pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and witness intimidation.

Slade was charged with two felony counts. He denied the charges and said he had been defending himself. Last month, a jury disagreed and convicted him on both counts, Jenson said.

Five years ago, another surfer, 22-year-old David Ortega, pleaded no contest to battery after tackling a novice surfer in the parking lot at Port Hueneme Beach. Ortega was placed on probation and prohibited from surfing at that beach.

He violated the order two days after sentencing and received a six-month jail term.

On Friday, a day after Slade’s sentencing, Jenson said she was fielding calls from surfing magazines about the case and the terms of his probation.

“I hope this sends a message to surfers and the community,” she said, “that this type of behavior won’t be tolerated.”