Austin Eis pleads not guilty to alleged Ventura County crime spree during Friday arraignment

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Austin Allen Eis of Camarillo entered a not guilty plea to 24 counts, including a murder charge in the death of 15-year-old Wesley W. of Thousand Oaks, during his arraignment on Friday.

An additional 12 charges were added to the charges filed against Eis prior to his Friday arraignment.

On Apr. 18, 2023, the following series of criminal acts were allegedly carried out by Eis across Ventura County.

Eis is alleged to have entered a Walmart in Simi Valley where he used pepper spray and stabbed one employee, physically assaulted another, and lunged at two additional employees with a knife.

Eis is then alleged to have forcibly entered into a Camarillo residence.

Then, Eis is alleged to have driven his vehicle to Thousand Oaks where he intentionally struck four high school students outside of Westlake High School, killing 15-year-old Wesley W.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Amber Lee, a member of Ventura County District Attorney's Office Major Crimes Unit, is the prosecutor assigned to this case.

Currently, Eis is being held in custody without bail and is scheduled in court Jul. 19, 2023 in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.