Wild ride ends in arrest
By Lenny Roberts

A Meiners Oaks man took a wild ride southbound on Highway 33 Friday afternoon that culminated in a head-on collision in Oak View on North Ventura Avenue at Santa Ana Boulevard.

According to law enforcement authorities, arrested at gunpoint was Arthur Scott Varela, 37, after his vehicle flipped over and he fled to the area of the First Baptist Church on Mahoney Avenue where he ran in and out of a neighboring house.

Sources also indicated that the suspect was carrying some sort of a knife at the time he was arrested.

"From what I understand," Sheriff's Sgt. Ken Edling said, "after the traffic collision, he split. What alerted us to the fact that he was at the church was that a homeowner called."

The incident began when Sheriff's Cadet Tony Vega received a call from a Caltrans crew member that a Subaru had failed to yield at a Caltrans stop on El Roblar Drive in Meiners Oaks.

Several calls were then received by both California Highway Patrol and Sheriff's dispatchers stating that a vehicle matching the description given by Caltrans was southbound on Highway 33, and the occupant was driving recklessly, often over the double-yellow line on the two-lane highway.

Several Sheriff's deputies began following Varela's path through Mira Monte into Oak View, where, according to witnesses, he clipped a northbound car driven by Jodi Brandt.

"If I would not have turned right as fast as I did, he would have hit me," the Oak View resident said. She said got out of her car and ran to the black BMW that Varela's car did strike, and said that the "lady was in shock" immediately following the collision.

The driver of the BMW, Angela Macaluso Respo, and her passenger, Lynn Boi, were transported to the Ojai Valley Community Hospital by Lifeline paramedics and treated for their injuries.

Respo said she sustained injuries to her foot and hand, burns to her face, arm and chest, and bruises on her chest, She also said she received a concussion and there is fluid leaking from her spine and brain.

She does not remember Brandt stopping to offer aid.

"All I remember is that there were a lot of children there who witnessed the accident," she said, including Boi's two high school children, who were coincidentally at the intersection after getting off of a school bus.

"We were just saying how good her kids looked. Then, Lynn said 'no, no,' and I saw the bottom of his car go over our windshield. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the hospital," Respo said.
CHP Officer Frank Paramo said Sheriff's deputies established a perimeter around the area of the church before taking Varela into custody. Another officer, Dave Songer drove the suspect the short distance back to the scene of the collision where witnesses identified his as the person who was driving the Subaru and the person who fled the scene. From there, Varela was taken to the Ojai Police Station where it was alleged that he was under the influence of both a central nervous system stimulant - methamphetamine, and cannabis.

"Based on witness statements, his admission of driving the vehicle and physical evidence, he was booked for being under the influence of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, felony hit and run, and felony reckless driving," Paramo said, adding that "he said he had used meth earlier in the day."

Court records show that Varela was released on his own recognizance Sunday at 3:30 a.m.
"It was very scary," Respo said. "I saw a light and thought I was dead. I remember thinking I have to go home to my kids.

I don't think this guy should be out after this. I'm in a lot of pain because of this one guy going out and doing drugs or whatever he did. He needs to do some time and get some good counseling. In my whole life, I never drank or did drugs, and look what happened to me."

Respo's husband, Jason, said, "I'm angry with the gentleman, but just totally amazed that he was released O.R. with four felony charges. Come on."

Brandt was equally upset with the judge's decision to release the suspect.

"That makes me absolutely ill. How can someone almost kill someone then break into somebody's house with a knife and get out of jail?" she questioned.

Varela is scheduled to appear in court Friday for an 8:15 a.m. arraignment.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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