Ventura County Board of Supervisors Chair Carmen Ramirez was struck and killed by a vehicle Friday evening while walking through a crosswalk in Oxnard. She was 73 years old.
Ramirez was a beloved figure in Ventura County and was known, among other things, as a passionate advocate for the environment. She began her career representing low-income neighborhoods as a legal aid attorney. She served on the Oxnard City Council for 10 years before she was elected to the county’s Board of Supervisors in 2020. She was the Board’s first Latina representative and chair.
Ramirez previously served as President of the Ventura County Bar Assn. and was also elected to the State Bar of California’s board of governors. She served as a board member for the Center for Civic Education and was appointed to the Commission on State Mandates by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012.
"We were all blessed to have known her, blessed to have been her friend," said Supervisor Linda Parks.
“We will miss Carmen tremendously,” said Oxnard Mayor John C. Zaragoza. “We worked together often, while I was serving as Supervisor and she was Oxnard’s Mayor Pro Tem, and this camaraderie continued when she was elected Supervisor and I served as Mayor. She was passionate about environmental justice and creating a better future for our City. Her kindness, love and deep compassion for the community was felt by everyone. She will be dearly missed.”
“We are devasted at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Supervisor Carmen Ramirez,” read a statement from Latinas Lead California. “A true trailblazer and champion, she was the first Latina to be elected to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and the first elected to be Chair of the Board of Supervisors. Our hearts go out to her family at this difficult time.”
Ramirez is the second California county supervisor to be killed by a motorist in the past year. In November, Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan was fatally struck by a car while walking her dog. According to police, the driver involved in Friday’s incident remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities.
A vigil for Ramirez was held Saturday in downtown Oxnard. Ramirez is survived by her husband, Roy Prince, and two stepsons. Her brother Ricardo Ramirez passed away last year from COVID-19.
Image Credit: www.carmen4supervisor.com