Sheriff’s Office and Police Department apprehend suspect for vehicle theft and burglary
Santa Barbara — Shortly before 4 a.m. on Monday, deputies from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, apprehended a suspect on the 400-block of Arroyo Road suspected of stealing a vehicle.
According to a press release, a black 2015 GMC truck was taken from the 100-block of Bath Street earlier in the evening. The authorities used OnStar to track the vehicle to the Arroyo Road address, an address they had already stopped by earlier to investigate a burglary in which items, including a garage door remote, were taken from the vacant house.
After setting up a perimeter around the house, the authorities called on the suspect to surrender over a PA system. When the suspect didn’t respond to the calls, the deputies entered the house along with K9 unit Odin. K9 Odin was deployed to search the upstairs area of the house and apprehended the suspect, 41-year-old Santa Barbara resident Benny Velasquez. The suspect sustained minor injuries from the K9 apprehension and received medical attention on the scene and at the hospital.
Mr. Velasquez was booked in the Main Jail for burglary by the Sheriff’s Office, vehicle theft by SBPD, on an outstanding warrant for vehicle theft, and an outstanding no bail warrant for violation of probation.
–Josh Grega
Rollover accident near Gaviota causes vegetation fire
Santa Barbara County — A vehicle rollover accident on Highway 101 near Gaviota on Saturday evening started a small vegetation fire. Around 6 p.m., the vehicle rolled over while traveling in the northbound lanes near the Tajiguas Landfill and came to a rest on the right shoulder, catching fire that then spread to nearby vegetation. According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the driver was able to get out of the burning vehicle and sustained only minor injuries. Fire crews treated the driver and put out the fire upon arriving at the scene.
California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the accident.
–Josh Grega
Fireworks starts fire in carport of Goleta residence
Goleta — On Saturday, fireworks caused a residential structure in Goleta to catch on fire, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Around 10:50 p.m., fire crews arrived at the 6200 block of Westmoreland Place and found the residential unit’s carport burning. The crews managed to keep the fire from burning the residence attached to the carport and no injuries were reported in the fire.
–Josh Grega
