Man pleads guilty to murdering Westlake HS student, intentionally crashing car into children

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Austin Eis, the man accused of intentionally crashing his car into a group of Westlake High School students last year, pleaded guilty on Friday to 10 felonies, including murder, related to the crime scene.

The plea comes nearly two years after Eis is accused of going on a day-long crime spree across Ventura County that ended with the death of a 15-year-old boy.

The crime spree

What we know:

The crime spree started in a Simi Valley Walmart on April 18, 2023. There, Eis attacked the store greeter, pepper spraying and stabbing him multiple times, before dragging another employee across the store.

Then, Ventura County officials said Eis broke into his parents' house in Camarillo, where he held up his parents and tried to get more weapons. After that, Eis crashed his car into a group of Westlake High School students standing on the sidewalk, waiting for the bus.

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Westlake HS student killed

The crash killed 15-year-old Wesley Welling, who was waiting at the bus stop with his younger sister. Wesley was killed on his mother's birthday.

Three others — another 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, and a 16-year-old girl – were taken to the hospital.

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Officials said Eis intentionally hit the group of students, and witnesses told police that he accelerated before the collision.

Austin Eis had ‘long history of violent threats’

According to the DA's office, Eis admitted to targeting the children "out of personal frustrations and his desire to commit mass violence."

Austin Eis

Eis was a former student of Westlake High and graduated in 2017. Investigators believe he was experiencing homelessness and living out of his car. 

Investigators said Eis also had "long history" of threats, and that he admired mass murderers. They also found text messages, which they said showed Eis wanted to cause mass violence for years.

What they're saying:

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko called the crimes "horrendous," adding that "while no number of guilty pleas will ever close the anguish of the victims and their families, they will ensure the defendent's removal from society."

Senior Deputy District Attorney Amber Lee, who prosecuted the case, called the crime spree "depraved."

"The sentence will not only reflect his premeditated and calculated actions after years of homicidal ideations, but also the horrific nature of the crime spree he unleashed on innocent members of our community," Lee said.

The charges

Dig deeper:

All told, Eis pleaded guilty to one count of murder, six counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of false imprisonment by violence. Eis also admitted to special allegations, including first degree murder, using a car and knife as a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury.

What's next:

Eis is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2025.

He faces 85 years to life in state prison.