Two arrested following pursuit
Jamie Cuellar 
Daniel Fletcher
GOLETA — Two people were arrested Tuesday night following a vehicle pursuit that originated in Goleta and ended in Santa Maria, authorities said.
Around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop on the northbound side of Highway 101 at Los Carneros Road. The vehicle, a gray Tahoe, was stopped for driving without headlights, but failed to yield and fled the area, said Raquel Zick, sheriff’s spokeswoman.
The vehicle was eventually spike striped by the California Highway Patrol and the vehicle stopped just south of Clark Avenue in Santa Maria, Ms. Zick said.
The driver, Jamie Cuellar, 28, of Santa Barbara, was arrested on multiple misdemeanor charges, including possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, destruction of evidence, driving without a license and evading. She was also arrested on suspicion of a number of felony charges, including possession of a controlled substance for sales, bringing drugs into the jail, conspiracy, and transportation of a controlled substance.
Ms. Cuellar also had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant out of Ventura County stemming from drug charges and failing to appear in court, Ms. Zick said.
The passenger, 38-year-old Daniel Fletcher, of Goleta, was arrested on suspicion of destruction of evidence, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.
Mr. Fletcher is also facing multiple felony charges, including possession of a controlled substance for sales, transportation of a controlled substance and conspiracy.
Both suspects were released without bail in accordance with the local court’s extension of the Emergency Rule 4, no bail rule.
— Mitchell White
Learjet lands safely at airport
Fire personnel were dispatched to the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport Wednesday morning after an aircraft was experiencing landing gear issues. The aircraft was able to get its landing gears to engage and landed safely.
SANTA BARBARA — A Learjet was experiencing landing gear issues Wednesday morning, however was able to land safely at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport.
The incident was reported around 11:05 a.m. Fire personnel from the Santa Barbara City and Santa Barbara County fire departments, along with paramedics, responded to the airport. Immediately after take off, the pilot noted that the landing gear deployment light did not go off. A further investigation determined the landing nose gear did not retract upon take off and the aircraft, which departed the airport enroute to Florida, returned to the airport, said Deanna Zachrisson, airport spokeswoman.
“There was question as to whether the pilot would be able to street the nose gear after landing or need a tow off the runway,” Ms. Zachrisson told the News-Press in an email. “However, the nose gear steering did work and did not require a tow.”
The five people aboard the aircraft were uninjured.
— Mitchell White
Authorities identify
shooting victim
GUADALUPE — The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department has identified the man who was shot and killed in a shooting last week as 19-year-old Jesus Felipe Garcia Jr., of Guadalupe.
The shooting occurred Dec. 22 in the 1000 block of Escalante Street. In addition to Mr. Garcia Jr., another person was injured in the shooting, said Raquel Zick, sheriff’s spokeswoman.
Mr. Garcia suffered multiple gunshot wounds, however the official cause of death is pending a finalized autopsy report.
The identity and status of the injured person was not released. The circumstances of the shooting, including determining whether it was gang-related, are part of the ongoing investigation, Ms. Zick said.
No arrests have been made and detectives continue to investigate the shooting, which includes a follow-up to the forensic examination results.
— Mitchell White
