VENTURA COUNTY

Somis man arrested in sexual assaults

A Somis man is being held in Ventura County Jail on bail of $250,000 after being arrested on suspicion of two sexual assaults.

Ventura County sheriff's investigators said Fabrio Lukita, 27, offered to take photographs of a 17-year-old girl after meeting her Friday at Moorpark College.

Investigators allege that Lukita drove the young woman to an off-campus location, where she was sexually assaulted.

Investigators said another female was sexually assaulted Monday at California State University, Channel Islands. CSUCI police identified Lukita as the suspect in that assault.

Lukita was arrested Tuesday night following an investigation by officers from CSUCI, Moorpark College and the sheriff's East County Sexual Assault Unit.

Investigators suspect that there may be other sexual assault victims who have yet to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Tony Aguirre at 371-8309.

Partial skull is identified as artifact

A partial human skull discovered Monday at a Ventura County farm is an American Indian artifact, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators suspected the skull belonged to an American Indian because the teeth were ground in a fashion characteristic of the region's former inhabitants. That finding was confirmed by a forensic anthropologist, said James Baroni, chief deputy medical examiner for Ventura County.

The skull was found in a compost pile at Conroy's Farm at Santa Clara and Central avenues, near Nye-land Acres. It now will be given to the Native American Heritage Commission, Baroni said.

SIMI VALLEY

Boy struck by truck dies of injuries

A Simi Valley boy has died of injuries sustained last week when he was hit by a truck, authorities said Wednesday.

Travis Hansen, 12, suffered a major head injury when he was struck as he rode his bike to school Friday, Simi Valley Police Lt. Joe May said.

He was pronounced dead about 7 p.m. Monday at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, May said.

The accident occurred at 7:42 a.m. Friday at Talbert Avenue and Fitzgerald Road in Simi Valley. The boy was riding on the sidewalk against oncoming traffic and had begun to cross Talbert when the truck made a right turn and struck him, May said. The boy was wearing a helmet.

The investigation into the collision is ongoing, but police have no plans to file charges at this point, May said.

The truck's driver, a 26-year-old Simi Valley resident, was not committing any flagrant traffic violations, May said. Sun glare might have been a factor in the accident, he said.

— From staff reports