LOS ANGELES, CA – A man accused of deliberately crashing his car into a group of Westlake High School students, killing a 15-year-old boy and injuring three others, has pleaded guilty to 10 felony charges, prosecutors said Friday.
Austin Eis, 26, admitted to one count of murder, six counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of false imprisonment by violence. He also pleaded guilty to special allegations, including first-degree murder, using a vehicle and a knife as deadly weapons, and inflicting great bodily injury. His plea comes nearly two years after a violent crime spree that spanned multiple cities in Ventura County.
The Crime Spree
The series of attacks began on April 18, 2023, at a Walmart in Simi Valley. Authorities said Eis entered the store and attacked a greeter, pepper spraying and stabbing him multiple times before dragging another employee across the store. He then fled to his parents’ home in Camarillo, where he allegedly held them at gunpoint and attempted to obtain additional weapons.
Shortly afterward, Eis drove to Thousand Oaks, where he accelerated his vehicle into a group of students standing on a sidewalk near Westlake High School. The crash killed 15-year-old Wesley Welling, who was waiting at a bus stop with his younger sister. Wesley was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three other students—a 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, and a 16-year-old girl—were taken to the hospital with injuries. Witnesses told police that Eis appeared to intentionally aim for the group and accelerated before impact.
History Of Threats And Violent Ideations
According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Eis admitted that he targeted the students “out of personal frustrations and his desire to commit mass violence.”
Authorities believe Eis had been homeless and living out of his car at the time of the attack. Investigators also found evidence suggesting he had a history of violent threats and an obsession with mass murderers. Text messages obtained during the investigation indicated that Eis had discussed carrying out acts of mass violence for years.
Reactions From Authorities
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko called the crime spree “horrendous,” emphasizing that “while no number of guilty pleas will ever close the anguish of the victims and their families, they will ensure the defendant’s removal from society.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Amber Lee, who prosecuted the case, described Eis’s actions as “depraved.”
“The sentence will not only reflect his premeditated and calculated actions after years of homicidal ideations, but also the horrific nature of the crime spree he unleashed on innocent members of our community,” Lee said.
Eis is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of 85 years to life in state prison.
Authorities say the case remains a painful chapter for the community, particularly for the families of the victims. Prosecutors hope the guilty plea provides some measure of justice, ensuring Eis will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
