Here’s a roundup of recent incidents and arrests from Ventura County agencies:
VENTURA — A man rescued from an industrial hopper Monday in Ventura has died, authorities said.
The technical rescue involved 35 firefighters from multiple agencies after the man became trapped in machinery at a flooring manufacturing plant in the 6200 block of Ventura Boulevard shortly before 8 a.m., according to the Ventura Fire Department.
The man was identified Wednesday as Oak View resident Anthony W. Wrencenyar, 43, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause and manner of death were pending as of Wednesday afternoon.
The facility is located in an industrial area along the north side of Highway 101 in the Montalvo area. Fire officials described the large machine as a sawdust hopper.
The complex rescue was assisted by fire crews from Oxnard and Ventura County. Two urban search and rescue teams took part in the operation. The search and rescue teams used specialized equipment and techniques to pull the man from the machinery. The response involved 22 units.
Wrencenyar was taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center where he died later on Monday, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Details concerning how Wrencenyar got stuck in the machinery weren’t available as of Wednesday. Fire department and medical examiner’s officials said he did not work at the site.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
VENTURA COUNTY — A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson and theft after an incident near Fillmore last week.
Authorities were dispatched around 3:25 p.m. on July 27 to a fire in a van parked at a nursery near Old Telegraph Road and Highway 126, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. The site is in an unincorporated area west of Fillmore.
The fire in the van’s rear interior was quickly extinguished.
In the front passenger area, however, firefighters found a propane tank releasing gas from an open valve.
Investigators concluded the fire had been intentionally started and the propane tank was placed in the van to cause an arson explosion, authorities said. No other hazards were located and no injuries were reported.
The suspect reportedly stole a bicycle from a nearby nursery and fled the scene before deputies arrived. He was later arrested in the 1000 block of Highway 126, also called Ventura Street, in Fillmore. Authorities also found additional evidence linking him to the incident, officials said.
The Fillmore resident was subsequently charged by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office with one count of felony arson and a misdemeanor count of petty theft. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
He remained in Ventura County jail Tuesday in lieu of $10,000 bail, with the next court hearing scheduled for Aug. 9.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Fillmore police station at 805-524-2233.
VENTURA COUNTY — Overnight lane closures planned this week on stretch of southbound Highway 101 south of Mussel Shoals were postponed, Caltrans announced Tuesday evening.
Work previously expected to start Wednesday night has been rescheduled for Aug. 8-10.
Starting at 9 p.m. on the affected nights, only one southbound lane will be open until 6 a.m. the following morning. Drivers will be routed onto the left bypass lane near Mussel Shoals along the roughly 4-mile stretch lined by K-rail.
The Seacliff exit ramp on the southbound side will be closed earlier on the same nights, starting at 7 p.m.
The work is part of a $48 million pavement rehabilitation project along the corridor.
Items may be updated if new information becomes available.
Cytlalli Salgado is a breaking news reporter for the Ventura County Star. She can be reached by calling 805-437-0257 or emailing cytlalli.salgado@vcstar.com.