VENTURA : Man Sentenced in Bar Incident

A 31-year-old man was sentenced Monday to 360 days in a work-release program for cocaine possession, battery and resisting arrest in an incident that began when he was caught in the women’s restroom of a Ventura bar and tried to flee wearing green underwear over his head.

To serve his sentence, David Scripps Ladow of Ventura will live at a minimum security facility at Camarillo airport and will be released only to report to work.

Last month, Ladow pleaded guilty to felony possession of cocaine, and to battery and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors. Three other misdemeanor charges of lewd conduct, destruction of evidence and being under the influence of a controlled substance were dropped.

In the March 13 incident, Ladow was found in a stall of the women’s restroom of the Elephant Bar & Restaurant with a mirror rigged to the ceiling. He tried to flee the bar wearing green underwear over his head after employees asked him to leave the restroom, police said.

Ladow fled into the restaurant’s parking lot and struggled with employees until police arrived, according to a police report. Drug-related paraphernalia and a shaker containing cocaine were found on Ladow, the report said.

Ladow is a member of the Scripps family, which publishes newspapers nationwide, including the Ventura County Star-Free Press, where he is based as a computer technician for the chain.

Ladow was sentenced to 180 days in connection with the cocaine possession charge. He also received 90 days on the battery charge and another 90 days for resisting arrest.

Ladow’s attorney, Daniel Higson, told Superior Court Judge Frederick A. Jones that Ladow’s actions stemmed in part “from an abuse of cocaine and some underlying psychological problems, primarily depression.” He said Ladow is midway through a therapy program and is “low risk of being of danger to society as long as he completes his therapy.”

But Deputy Dist. Atty. Chuck Roberts cited a similar incident involving Ladow about five years ago in the San Diego area, and he called Ladow “a man who’s had every positive advantage in life monetarily, that’s for certain. He’s a person in excellent shape to be a contributing member of society. He instead has engaged in somewhat bizarre behavior for the previous five years.”

Jones said the personal wealth of Ladow’s family was not an issue. He also ordered Ladow to pay probation supervision and investigation costs.