A series of unprovoked attacks in the Ojai area has led to the arrest of 23-year-old Isaiah Avalos. According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Avalos now faces charges of willful cruelty to a child, illegal use of pepper spray, vandalism, and battery. The official release indicates that the cumulative bail set for these charges stands at $50,000.
On August 4, deputies were alerted to an incident involving two juvenile females who claimed Avalos blocked their path on a bike trail and sprayed them with pepper spray. The chemical reportedly made contact with the teens' arms. These attacks, having seemingly become a troubling pattern, continued to escalate. Just one day later, Avalos is accused of physically pushing a teenage boy and girl off a bicycle on Maricopa Highway, an act which resulted in minor injuries for both teens. The male victim identified Avalos as a transient familiar in the Ojai region.
In an earlier event dated July 28, captured in the incident report, Avalos was also connected to a situation where a 39-year-old man became a victim of his unprovoked aggression, suffering from pepper spray to the face. It is this string of seemingly random acts of violence that has occasioned Avalos' current legal predicament.
As the investigation continues, the Ventura County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information to further establish the chain of events. Contributors with valuable information can choose to remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers directly. Further inquiries regarding this case may be directed to Detective Joseph Sharif, who is currently leading the investigation.
