Roundup: Lake Piru victim identified, gun verdict, Hwy 33 slowdown

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:

Lake Piru victim named

The man who died after suffering an apparent medical emergency while swimming in Lake Piru on July 13 has been identified by authorities.

Henry Rodriguez of Charlotte, North Carolina, was 50, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office.

The cause and manner of death are still pending, the agency reported.

The incident was reported shortly after 4 p.m. on a Saturday . Callers told authorities Rodriguez was having difficulty swimming after experiencing a medical emergency and was seen submerged in the water, Ventura County Sheriff's officials said.

An off-duty captain from the Oxnard Fire Department was at the lake and helped with the response. The man was pulled from the water and life-saving measures were performed. He was flown by helicopter to Ventura County Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Santa Paula man convicted of 12 firearm crimes

A Santa Paula man was convicted last week of a dozen felony counts of unlawful possession of guns and ammunition.

Jurors convicted 38-year-old Refugio Cortez July 17 at the end of a trial in Ventura County Superior Court in Ventura.

They found him guilty of gun crimes related to his previous felony record, the court docket shows.

He was convicted of owning, possessing or controlling a firearm by a felon and one count of being prohibited from possessing ammunition. He was found not guilty of one misdemeanor count of identity theft.

Almost seven months ago, sheriff’s detectives reportedly served a search warrant at a home in Santa Paula, where Cortez allegedly kept items in a shed on the property. Detectives found 12 firearms, according to a statement from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

The weapons were identified as six rifles, including an AK-47, which is described as a Soviet assault rifle, and six handguns.

Detectives also located several rounds of ammunition, according to the DA's office.

Cortez has a 2015 felony conviction for driving under the influence with a prior felony conviction, which prohibits him from possessing firearms, prosecutors said.

Cortez is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. Sept. 4 in Ventura County Superior Court. He remained in custody Sunday at the Todd Road Jail outside Santa Paula. He is not eligible for release.

Partial shutdown of Hwy. 33 starts Monday for repair of potholes

Road closures will start this week for a portion of southbound Highway 33 outside Ojai so crews can repair potholes, state transportation officials announced.

The closures are planned from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday of this upcoming week between Santa Ana Boulevard in Oak View and Sulphur Mountain Road in Casitas Springs.

One southbound lane is scheduled to be open to traffic with flags directing motorists at the location of work.

Pothole repair will continue for the next several weeks, starting with the southbound lanes and then moving to the northbound lanes, according to the state Department of Transportation.

These items may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Lake Piru victim identified, gun verdict, Hwy 33 slowdown