Construction accident claims the life of North Hills man

Jeremias Vargas, a worker at Cusenza Ranch in the Lake Sherwood area of Thousand Oaks, died from injuries he suffered in a Sun., Dec. 24 accident at the ranch at 578 Potrero Road.

Vargas, 44, of North Hills, reportedly lost control of a sixwheel all-terrain vehicle while driving it down a steep grade on a paved road, according to a Ventura County sheriff’s report by Sgt. Robert Sparks.

Vargas suffered serious injuries when the ATV crashed into a tree near the bottom of the roadway. Ventura County firefighters from Station 33 and paramedics from American Medical Response provided medical care at the scene. The San Fernando Valley man was taken by ambulance to Los Robles Hospital, where he died.

According to Sparks’ report, the accident is being investigated by the sheriff’s department and the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

—Nancy Needham