by F. Scott Faulkner
September 17, 2026 – Ventura County, CA
Law enforcement officials responded to a call of a violent attack at a local motel.
Ventura County Sheriff’s Department deputies rolled up to a Motel 6 in the city of
Ventura at about 2 a.m. September 14 in response to a citizen’s 911 Emergency
Dispatch call reporting that someone at the motel may have been battered and seriously
injured.
According to VCSD spokesman Sgt. Ryan DeBlauw, deputies at the scene quickly
determined the victim had been beaten so severely that the person lost consciousness.
After regaining consciousness, the victim discovered that personal belongings had
been taken.
Information gathered during the initial investigation led deputies to identify the
suspected assailant as Sabrina Carlson, 41, of Ventura. Carlson who is a transient
known to frequent the Ventura area, particularly the river bottom area.
Headquarters detectives, VCSD Homeless Liaison Unit deputies, and investigators from
the West County Special Enforcement Unit combined their resources and searched the
area extensively, but did not find their suspect. Two days later, on the afternoon of
September 16, deputies finally located Carlson in the river bottom south of the
Ventura Auto Center took her into custody without incident.
Carlson was transported to Ventura County Jail, where she was booked on charges of
robbery, battery causing serious bodily injury, and making criminal threats. She remains
in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail.
