A 55-year-old Ventura County man out of jail after being arrested for alleged lewd acts inside a high school girls’ locker room and authorities believe there may be additional victims, officials announced Wednesday.  

The Jan. 13 incident unfolded at Newbury Park High School after the victim, only identified as a 15-year-old female student and resident of Thousand Oaks, reported that an unidentified man had been inside the girls’ locker room and performed an unspecified “lewd act in her presence,” a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office stated. 

The sheriff’s office’s East County Sexual Assault Unit launched at the school, located at 456 Reino Road in Newbury Park, along with school administrators.  

“Sheriff’s investigators were able to identify the suspect, James Arthur Silver,” authorities said. “Silver was later located and arrested for Lewd Conduct.” 

It is unclear how the 55-year-old was able to access the girls’ locker room, whether he might be employed by the school, has a child that attends the school or trespassed onto the campus.

Silver was booked into the Ventura County East Sheriff’s Jail and later released. He is due to appear in court in March, officials said.  

Due to the nature of this investigation, detectives believe there may be additional victims or witnesses and encourage anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s East County Sexual Assault Unit Sergeant Ray Dominguez at 805-371-8392.  

Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.  

As Los Angeles County grapples with deadly wildfires, Orange County restaurants are lending a helping hand.

Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar, Provisions Deli and Bottle Shop and Chapman Crafted Beer in Orange will host all-day fundraisers on Thursday with 100% of proceeds benefitting the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the American Red Cross, according to the Orange County Register.

“These funds will go directly toward equipping firefighters on the frontlines and supporting those who have been displaced or affected by the wildfires. Together, we can make a difference for our neighbors in L.A.,” the participating restaurants said on Instagram.

Diners are encouraged to make a reservation to dine at Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar. Provisions Deli and Bottle Shop and Chapman Crafted Beer welcome walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis.

Thursday’s efforts follow a county-wide effort on Tuesday, during which more than 80 restaurants pledged to donate 20% of dining proceeds to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in support of their fire relief efforts.

Over 100,000 L.A. County residents have been displaced by the wildfires, which first ignited on Jan. 7. The wildfires have since destroyed neighborhoods in the Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Altadena, and Sylmar area, and 25 people have died.

As of Wednesday morning, the Palisades Fire is 19% contained, and the Eaton Fire is 45% contained.

A Southern California woman was overwhelmed after firefighters discovered her wedding ring amid the rubble of her home that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

Victoria DeSantis, her husband, Marko DeSantis, and their two children, have lived in their Altadena home on the 3200 block of Olive Avenue for 18 years. 

They recalled the fear they felt as the fast-moving fire threatened thousands of homes, forcing many to flee for their safety.

It was around 3 a.m. when they were alerted and began quickly packing up, grabbing any important items they could think of. 

Victoria had removed her wedding rings that day because her hands were dry and the lotion she was using kept making the rings slide off. So she placed her wedding ring and band, along with her mother’s wedding ring, by the front door, making a mental note to grab them before heading out.

Amid the chaos and scramble, they left their home and shortly after, Victoria realized she had forgotten the rings. However, she wasn’t too concerned at first, believing her home would be safe.

“You hold out hope that you’re going to be that one little house that made it,” she said. “You don’t want the neighborhood to be gone.”

The next day, however, she walked back to the property and her heart dropped as she saw only rubble and charred remains where her home once stood. 

She began searching the debris, hoping to find the rings. She found her engagement ring, which had melted in the fire. She then asked nearby firefighters for help finding her wedding band.

“One of the guys, he said, ‘I found a ring, but it isn’t gold,’ and it was my wedding band,” she said of the incredible discovery. “I thought it had melted into a blob of metal, but he found my wedding band intact.”

Photos of the find showed Victoria crying tears of joy as she held up the silver wedding band.

“Shout out to CAL FIRE Riverside,” Marko said. “Thanks for saving our marriage.”

While the couple lost everything else in their home, they’re grateful no one was injured and said they will take it one day at a time as they rebuild their lives. They’re also grateful for the outpouring of support from the community.

“There’s that old quote, ‘If you’re going through hell, keep going,’ and I think that’s where we are right now,” Marko said. “We’re going through hell, but we have this wedding ring and we’re going to keep going.”

The CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department posted the lucky find on their Instagram page, saying, “It’s these small moments that bring hope to devastation, and we’re proud of our firefighters for all they are doing to help in LA County.”

A GoFundMe page to help the DeSantis family can be found here.