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Theft suspects arrested after pursuit
SANTA BARBARA — Following a pursuit Wednesday on southbound Highway 101, several arrests were made in connection with alleged catalytic converter thefts.
At approximately 3:51 a.m., Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 5200 block of Rhoads Avenue in Santa Barbara to investigate a report of possible catalytic converter thefts in progress.
While they were responding to the area, a deputy spotted a vehicle that matched the description of outstanding suspects in previous catalytic converter thefts in the nearby area. The deputy attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle on the Turnpike Road southbound onramp to Highway 101.
The vehicle failed to yield, and deputies initiated a pursuit southbound on Highway 101, said Raquel Zick, the sheriff’s office public information officer.
Additional deputies and California Highway Patrol responded to the area to assist with the pursuit.
As deputies and CHP pursued the vehicle, the occupants threw what was later identified as a vehicle jack out of the window of the moving vehicle in the area of 101 southbound at Sheffield, Ms. Zick said.
Deputies were able to maneuver around the object and continued the pursuit. In the area of Mussel Shoals, the occupants again threw an item, later identified as a catalytic converter out of the window, damaging a patrol car to the extent that the deputy had to drop out of the pursuit, Ms. Zick said.
CHP continued pursuing the vehicle into Ventura, where the vehicle finally yielded on Orchard Drive near Ventura Avenue. Three suspects were taken into custody, one juvenile along with 40-year-old Gustavo Pineda from Los Angeles, and 41-year-old Carlos Alberto Cristales-Mendez from Commerce. The juvenile was released to a guardian.
Mr. Pineda was booked at the Main Jail in Santa Barbara for charges including grand theft (felony), destruction of evidence (misdemeanor), assault with a deadly weapon (felony), conspiracy (felony), child endangerment (felony), evading (felony), vandalism (felony), contributing to the delinquency of a minor (misdemeanor), and throwing a substance from a vehicle with intent to cause great bodily injury (felony). He is being held without bail.
Mr. Cristales-Mendez was booked at the Main Jail for the same charges as Mr. Pineda along with possession of a controlled substance (misdemeanor) and possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor). He is being held on $600,000 bail.
Ms. Zick said no law enforcement officers, suspects or bystanders were injured in this incident. One patrol car was towed from Highway 101.
— Katherine Zehnder
COURTESY PHOTOA bear relaxes in a home’s laundry room in Cuyama Valley and was later assisted outside, where it immediately climbed a tree. Bear found in laundry roomCUYAMA VALLEY — A bear was found relaxing in a residential laundry room in the 2400 block of Santa Barbara Canyon in Cuyama Valley.
The bear entered the home laundry room, broke a water pipe and was found enjoying a water leak, and was assisted outside by Santa Barbara County Medic Engine 27, where it immediately climbed a tree, according to the county fire department.
— Katherine Zehnder
Vegetation fire in Santa MariaUNION VALLEY — A vegetation fire took place Wednesday in Union Valley near Hummel Drive in Santa Maria.
Forward progress was stopped, and the fire was contained to about 0.43 acre, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The fire was adjacent to the area/encampment fire from earlier Wednesday. An earlier fire was contained by a resident who scraped a dirt line around the fire with a skid steer. This assisted firefighters in extinguishing the fire.
The original fire was called in at 7:42 a.m., according to Scott Safechuck, public information officer for Santa Barbara County Fire.
— Katherine Zehnder
Suspect arrested for brandishing a ghost gunISLA VISTA —At approximately 11:17 p.m. Saturday, Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies along with officers from UCSB Police responded to the 6600 block of Del Playa Drive for a report of a man waving a gun in the air at a party. When law enforcement arrived, they noticed a male who matched the description of the suspect lifting his shirt revealing a handgun in his waistband, said Raquel Zick, the sheriff’s office public informatoin officer.
Ms. Zick said the man, later identified as 19-year-old Enzo Urrea of Goleta, attempted to run from officers and deputies but was apprehended within a short distance.
Mr. Urrea was allegedly found in possession of an unloaded 9mm “ghost gun” with no serial number along with 2 rounds of live ammunition in his pockets, Ms. Zick said.
Mr. Urrea was arrested and booked at the Main Jail in Santa Barbara on suspicion of assault with a firearm (felony), obstruction (misdemeanor), carrying a concealed weapon (felony), brandishing a firearm (misdemeanor), possession of a ghost gun (misdemeanor), and prohibited person in possession of a firearm (felony). He is being held on $75,000 bail.
— Katherine Zehnder
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