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Residents Hit By 2005 Landslide File Suits
Residents of seaside La Conchita who lost their homes or relatives during a deadly landslide last year filed lawsuits against Ventura County and a private ranch company, claiming both were negligent in protecting the tiny community from harm.
Eighteen lawsuits were filed late Thursday in Ventura County Superior Court, and another five were filed Friday, covering a total of 39 plaintiffs.
Among the allegations are wrongful death, negligence, trespassing and damaged property. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages.
The lawsuits claim Ventura County officials failed to protect residents of La Conchita from a Jan. 10, 2005, mudslide that killed 10 people, destroyed 13 homes and damaged 23 others.
Ventura County Counsel Noel Klebaum declined to comment Friday about the lawsuit.
The lawsuits also are critical of the county's attempts to prevent another slide. A wall built after a 1995 slide in the same area that destroyed nine homes increased the risk of death and serious injury, the lawsuit claimed.
Murray said the wall altered the course of the 2005 slide that wiped out a row of homes. The county also allegedly stopped using monitoring devices placed on the hillside to detect possible movement and possibly warn residents of a slide.
As a result, the residents 'were lulled into a false sense of security by defendants' conduct,' the lawsuit claims.
Mike Bell, chairman of the La Conchita Community Organization, said residents wanted to work with government officials but the lack of response forced those who had relatives killed or lost homes to file lawsuits.