Muristek
Driver allegedly hits police officer’s car COURTESY PHOTOA car driven by Jeremy Joe Patterson, 40, of Santa Barbara, sustains damage after what police said was a collision with a marked patrol car.
SANTA BARBARA — Jeremy Joe Patterson, a 40-year-old from Santa Barbara, collided with an on-duty Santa Barbara police officer’s car Friday evening, police said.
Officials said Mr. Patterson rear-ended the marked patrol vehicle in the 200 block of West Alamar Avenue while the officer was inside it, completing a report from a previous call, and side-swiped the car on the driver’s side at about 6:30 p.m.
The officer was injured and unable to exit his car due to the damage, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department. Police said other officers arrived on the scene to assist and determined Mr. Patterson was under the influence.
Mr. Patterson was booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of felony DUI causing injury, misdemeanor driving on a suspended license and misdemeanor driving a vehicle without an interlock device.
Mr. Patterson did not sustain any injuries in the crash, law enforcement said, and is on probation for DUI. His bail was set at $100,000, according to police.
The officer who was injured in the accident is expected to make a full recovery and return to duty eventually, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
— Kaitlyn Schallhorn
Police investigate apparent shootingSANTA MARIA — Santa Maria police officers responded to reports of a shooting around Curryer and Chapel late Monday night.
Officers said they found dozens of bullet casings as well as impacts to nearby homes and property. This was the second shooting in the past five days, police said.
“The investigation is just getting started and there are promising leads,” the Santa Maria Police Department said. “We want to encourage community members to call 9-1-1 each and every time they hear gunfire. Even if the suspects flee, we still want to respond and look for valuable evidence that may develop into leads as we work with our partners (the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives).”
— Kaitlyn Schallhorn
Road work in Santa MariaSANTA MARIA — Road repairs are scheduled to take place starting at 8 this morning along about 1.7 miles of East Main Street from Panther Drive to the entrance of the Santa Maria Regional Landfill at Philbric Road.
The work is scheduled to take place, weather permitting, until 4 p.m. today, then from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. More work is set for April 27 and 28.
A Santa Maria Public Works Department crew will be making the repairs and filling potholes. The department said drivers should expect short delays from flaggers directing traffic.
— Dave Mason
The post TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER appeared first on Santa Barbara News-Press.