LOCAL : Shots Fired at West Hills Couple on Ventura Fwy.; Neither Injured

A West Hills couple escaped injury early today when their car was hit twice by gunshots fired from another vehicle on the westbound Ventura Freeway in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles police reported.

Theresa Rodriguez, 30, and her husband, Alex, 31, were heading home after visiting friends about 3 a.m. when they spotted two vehicles apparently racing each other near the Shoup Avenue off-ramp, Detective Joel Price said.

One of the vehicles, described as a late-model red Ford Bronco, pulled in front of the couple’s car and abruptly slowed, Price said. At the same time, the second vehicle, a late-model black Chevrolet Corvette, drove up next to the driver’s side of the Rodriguezes’ car, police said.

After the two cars had boxed in the couple’s car, the driver of the Corvette began shouting obscenities at Theresa Rodriguez, who was driving, Price said.

As the couple tried to escape by getting off the freeway at Shoup, they saw a passenger in the Corvette fire a gun at them, police said. The couple also heard what they described as “a pop and a bang,” Price said.

The left rear tire began to go flat, and the couple pulled into a gasoline station to call police. Investigators found bullet holes in the driver’s side and in one tire of the car but did not know what kind of gun the assailant used, Price said.

After the shots were fired, the two vehicles continued westbound on the freeway at high speed. Police said there were two men in each vehicle.