Oxnard man arrested for allegedly kidnapping woman, forcing her into car trunk

OAK VIEW, Calif. - Ventura County Sheriff's deputies arrested an Oxnard man on Saturday after he allegedly abducted a woman, forcing her into the trunk of his car.

They said it happened around 10:51 p.m. Saturday night at Olive Street and Santa Ana Boulevard in Oak View.

There, deputies said 54-year-old James Apodaca of Oxnard lured a woman near the back of his vehicle and pushed her into the trunk.

Fortunately, as the vehicle drove away, the woman was able to pop open the trunk and scream for help.

A passerby who heard the woman's cries flagged down a nearby deputy who pursued the vehicle and signaled it to pull over.

After stopping his car, Apodaca reportedly ran out of the vehicle and the deputy gave chase.

Deputies said Apodaca eventually stopped running, grabbed a metal pipe and began swinging it at the deputy.

The deputy then deployed his Taser to subdue the man and safely arrest him.

Deputies said the woman who had been in the trunk was terrified and ran straight into the passenger seat of the deputy's patrol vehicle.

Apodaca was booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura for kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.

He is being held on $500,000 bail and will appear in Ventura County Superior Court on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 1:15 pm.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau are investigating this case and are interested in any information from the public about Apodaca’s activities or other similar crimes.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Bill Meixner at 805-797-6396.