LOS ANGELES, CA — Two teenagers were arrested after an alleged road rage confrontation involving a motorcyclist in Camarillo escalated into a collision and an investigation that led deputies to three firearms, including two fully automatic weapons authorities described as ghost guns.
The incident happened Sept. 5 near Las Posas Road and the northbound Highway 101 off-ramp, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies from the Camarillo station responded after witnesses reported a confrontation between a Mercedes sedan and a motorcycle.
According to investigators, witnesses told sheriff’s dispatchers that the Mercedes driver appeared to be intentionally trying to strike the motorcycle. Witnesses also reported seeing both the driver and the front passenger point a black assault rifle at the motorcyclist during the confrontation.
The Mercedes eventually collided with the motorcycle and left the area, authorities said. The motorcyclist was not injured and was later released from the scene.
Investigators used license plate cameras to locate the Mercedes
The investigation quickly shifted from the crash scene to identifying the vehicle involved.
Investigators with the Sheriff’s Advanced Real Time Information Center used automated license plate reader, or ALPR, cameras in Camarillo to identify the Mercedes. The system helped investigators connect the vehicle’s license plate with previous images and identify the vehicle’s registered owner.
Camarillo has used ALPR technology as part of its law-enforcement resources. City documents have previously described the use of automated license plate readers on traffic trailers and patrol vehicles as part of local crime-prevention efforts.
In this case, the technology helped deputies locate the suspect vehicle at a Jack in the Box in the 1600 block of East Daily Drive.
Deputies conducted an enforcement stop at the restaurant’s drive-thru and took both occupants into custody without incident.
Authorities identified the driver as Gavyn Ghassedi, 18, while the passenger was identified as a 17-year-old girl from Camarillo.
Three firearms allegedly found inside the vehicle
A search of the Mercedes produced two assault rifles and a pistol, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said both rifles were fully automatic ghost guns and had no serial numbers. The pistol was also described as a ghost gun without a serial number.
The discovery added multiple firearm-related allegations to the case beyond the initial road rage investigation.
Ghassedi and the juvenile were both arrested on allegations including possession of an automatic weapon, possession of an assault weapon, unlawful transfer of a firearm, carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in public, possession of a firearm without a serial number, assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a firearm and conspiracy to commit a crime.
California’s firearms laws separately regulate the possession and carrying of weapons in public, while state law also addresses firearms and components that lack required identifying information. The exact legal outcome of the charges will depend on the evidence and subsequent court proceedings.
Ghassedi held on $50,000 bail
Ghassedi was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to authorities.
The 17-year-old was taken to the Juvenile Justice Center. Because she is a minor, authorities did not publicly identify her.
The Ventura County Superior Court provides information for criminal cases and hearings in the county, while its published bail schedules establish presumptive bail amounts for qualifying offenses.
The allegations against both suspects remain allegations unless and until they are established in court.
The motorcyclist was not reported injured, and authorities have not publicly disclosed additional details about what initially triggered the confrontation between the two vehicles.
