Elijah Francis Devosia Harper
Two men suspected in an armed robbery Saturday night in the city of Santa Barbara were arrested following a traffic stop Sunday night in Isla Vista, authorities said.
At approximately 11 p.m. Sunday, a UCSB police sergeant noticed a vehicle driving without lights in the 6700 block of Sabado Tarde and conducted a traffic stop. The driver did not have identification and the vehicle had a strong odor of marijuana, said Kelly Hoover, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
A sheriff’s sergeant and deputy responded to assist and the sergeant recognized the vehicle associated with a robbery in Santa Barbara in which a firearm was used the night before.
A search of the vehicle yielded a brick of cocaine, approximately 5 pounds of marijuana, Xanax pills and a firearm, Ms. Hoover said.
While at the scene of the traffic stop, two victims approached deputies and reported they had just been robbed. One victim was pistol whipped and he had a large cut over his eye. It was determined the suspects in the robbery were the same suspects involved in the traffic stop, Ms. Hoover said.
The driver of the vehicle, Elijah Francis, 20, of Santa Cruz, and the passenger, Devosia Harper, 18, of Stockton, told authorities they were in town for Deltopia.
The Santa Barbara Police Department responded and took the suspects into custody. They were later booked into County Jail on suspicion of robbery, attempted robbery, conspiracy, possession of a loaded firearm and being felons in possession of a firearm. Mr. Harper was also booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.