A makeshift memorial has been created near Ventura County’s Westlake High School, to commemorate the student who died, and the three others injured in what investigator say was a deliberate attack by a driver.
The community is in shock over the incident. Grief counselors were on hand at the high school Wednesday. Students were allowed to leave class in small groups to visit the memorial.
Wesley Welling died from injuries suffered in the crash. The 15-year-old boy was from Thousand Oaks. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family.
Another 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, and a 14-year-old girl were injured.
Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives say the series of events started in Simi Valley just before 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. They say Austin Eis stabbed an employee at the Walmart store on Cochran Street, and then fled the scene. The victim is expected to recover.
Then, Eis apparently went to Camarillo, where he was involved in a domestic dispute.
The 24-year-old man then headed to Westlake Village. His car crashed, and overturned by a bus stop on Thousand Oaks Boulevard, near Lakeview Canyon Road. It’s just across the street from Westlake High School. Four teens were hit, including the 15-year-old who died.
Eis was injured in the crash. Sheriff's detectives say based on what they have found out from witnesses, they believe he hit the teens intentionally. Investigators say he wasn't being pursued by police at the time of the crash.
Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Wendell Campbell say Eis is facing murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a weapon, attempted robbery, and resisting arrest charges. It's expected he will make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.
