85-Year-Old Blind Man Punched, Robbed Of Wheelchair In Oxnard Home Invasion
OXNARD (CBSLA.com) — An 85-year-old blind man was punched and robbed of his wheelchair Tuesday morning in his Oxnard home, police said.
Ventura Fernandez was asleep at his home in the 500 block of Fairbourne Place shortly before 7 a.m. when the home invasion took place.
He heard his dog barking loudly in the living room and got up to investigate. He sensed a presence in the room and yelled for the robber to leave -- and that's when the thief struck him.
"I turned around and all I felt was a punch in the face," he said.
Fernandez told the robber that he was blind and asked for a hand.
The robber helped pick Fernandez up off the ground, but then headed into Fernandez's bedroom and stole $70 from a safe, and also stole Fernandez's wheelchair. (Fernandez has gout and is for the most part wheelchair-bound).
Now, Fernandez is trying to recover.
A friend has lent him a wheelchair, but it's not the correct size. He's hoping to either get his wheelchair back or find a suitable replacement.
No suspect description was available Wednesday evening.
Fernandez believes the robber entered the house through a window that was cracked open.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact Detective Cody Collett or call the Violent Crimes Hotline at (805) 982-7070 or Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
