Police blotter — December 1

By DAILY SOUND STAFF — Dec. 1, 2009

Nov. 25, 1 p.m. — Called to the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport by security personnel, officers learned a passenger had attempted to board a plane with marijuana. The suspect, a 20-year-old man, admitted he had concealed a bag of marijuana in his crotch area prior to entering the security checkpoint.

The man had no medical recommendation for marijuana and said he was flying home for Thanksgiving. He told police the pot was for his personal use. Security had stopped the suspect after noticing he was acting suspiciously while passing through the checkpoint.

After pulling him aside for an individual search, authorities discovered approximately 2.4 ounces of marijuana hidden in his crotch — an amount that has an estimated street value of $400. Authorities booked the 20-year-old for transportation of marijuana. Bail was set at $20,000.

Nov. 26, 12:45 a.m. — Security personnel at the Wildcat Lounge flagged down officers after detaining a man who had been flaunting a bag of white powder in the club. The bouncer couldn’t find the baggie on the 32-year-old suspect after pulling him from the bar, but officers quickly spotted it on the street near the man’s feet. The suspect denied the powdery substance belonged to him, telling officers he was holding it for a friend.

After the powder tested positive for cocaine, authorities booked the 32-year-old for possession of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $10,000.

Nov. 26, 9 a.m. — While on bike patrol near the Santa Barbara Amtrak station, an officer spotted a man he didn’t recognize and stopped to chat. The 43-year-old man agreed to talk with the officer, who quickly noticed the man had a train ticket with a different name than he had initially given.

The suspect said he didn’t have any identification so a friend had purchased the ticket for him. The officer obtained the man’s consent to search him and discovered a collection of pills in a baggie, including methadone, a muscle relaxant and Viagra.

The 43-year-old did not have any identification and police could find no records under the name he gave, despite his admission that he was on parole for residential burglary and a drug-related charge. Authorities booked him for possession of a controlled substance and prescription medications, providing false information to a peace officer and violating his parole. Bail was set at $10,000.

Nov. 26, 2:20 p.m. — While treating a man who had passed out and was having difficulty breathing, paramedics called police to the scene in the 2100 block of Garden Street after the 25-year-old began struggling. When officers arrived, the found three emergency responders seated on the suspect, who was actively resisting.

The man had to be sedated in order for paramedics to treat him. The suspect’s father had called 911 after finding his son passed out and barely breathing. A firefighter spotted a container with various drugs grouped together in baggies in the suspect’s bathroom, where he had been found.

The drugs included methadone, morphine, brown powder heroin, black tar heroin and hashish. Officers searched the bathroom and spotted a black bag with a hypodermic needle visible. Inside the bag, police found more needles, burnt spoons, a tourniquet and cotton balls.

Authorities booked the 25-year-old suspect for possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of prescription drugs without a prescription, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $10,000.

Nov. 26, 6:45 p.m. — An officer on patrol along the 600 block of W. Montecito Street noticed a man getting into a silver Toyota that was parked in a red zone. When the officer approached, the suspect quickly left the vehicle with its door open and started walking away.

The officer observed the suspect toss something away before turning back. Under questioning, the 29-year-old man admitted he didn’t have a driver’s license and had borrowed his sister’s car. He said he was nervous about being stopped.

A search of the suspect’s possessions turned up a baggie with a small amount of cocaine and a tightly rolled dollar bill. Authorities booked the 29-year-old for possession of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $10,000.

Nov. 26, 8:35 p.m. — While stopped at a red light in the 500 block of State Street, an officer noticed a group of people standing on the corner. As the officer looked on, one woman grabbed her breasts twice over her dress before lifting her dress up to her waist, exposing her black underwear.

When the officer contacted the woman, she spontaneously apologized and said she had to work at a local restaurant on Thanksgiving. Asked what that had to do with her decision to lift her dress, the 21-year-old woman responded, “Nothing.”

Police noted the suspect had a strong odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. The woman said she was taking a taxi home but it had yet to arrive. When asked to call the taxi company to determine when it would show up, the 21-year-old admitted she had not called a taxi yet.

She put her cell phone down and began rummaging through her purse, telling authorities she would call a taxi. An officer asked if she wanted him to call a cab for her, and she responded that she would call one herself while continuing to look through her purse.

Police determined she was too intoxicated to care for her own safety and took her into custody. While searching the suspect’s purse, officers found two orange pills later identified as a generic form of Adderall, a prescription medication.

Authorities booked the 21-year-old woman for public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Bail was set at $10,000.

Nov. 27, 3:15 p.m. — While on bike patrol, two officers spotted a man parked in his vehicle in the first block of E. Sola Street. As the officers watched, the suspect pulled away from the curb while talking on his cell phone.

Upon spotting the bike officers, the 43-year-old man stopped and dropped his phone into his lap. Police detained the suspect and quickly noted he showed symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

After taking the 43-year-old into custody, officers searched his vehicle and found a hypodermic needle and heroin. Authorities booked the suspect for possession of heroin, possession of a syringe, driving under the influence as a drug addict, and violating his parole.

Nov. 27, 3:45 p.m. — While on patrol in the first block of E. Sola Street, police noticed a man who began to act suspiciously after he spotted the squad car. The 40-year-old turned back toward a residence and tossed something away before sitting down on the porch.

Officers determined the man was on probation and noted he had constricted pupils, as well as fresh needle punctures to his arms. The suspect admitted to using heroin the night before on the railroad tracks near Oak Park.

Police searched the area and found a small bindle of heroin nearby. Officers also found a small plastic bottle filled with a liquid later identified as urine, in addition to discovering another container similar to those used by probation officers to conduct a urine test.

Another man at the residence admitted to giving his urine to the 40-year-old suspect so he could pass an upcoming drug test. The suspect admitted to being at the home to pick up the clean urine sample.

After the suspect provided a urine sample of his own that tested positive for opiates and cocaine, authorities booked him without bail for possession of narcotics, being under the influence of narcotics, destroying or concealing evidence, and violating his probation.

Nov. 28, 12:45 a.m. — An officer on DUI enforcement patrol spotted a black Mini Cooper heading east in the first block of E. Ortega Street at a high rate of speed. The vehicle bottomed out at Anacapa Street and continued eastbound.

After running the stop sign at Garden Street at approximately 30 mph and bottoming out again, the vehicle stopped abruptly in the roadway with its horn blaring. Officers saw the driver, a 23-year-old woman, exit the vehicle and walk to the sidewalk.

Further investigation revealed the driver’s side airbag had deployed after the car bottomed out the second time. Police determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol and booked her for driving while intoxicated.

Nov. 28, 12:23 p.m. — Police were called to an apartment complex in the 600 block of Garden Street on reports of a woman refusing to leave a residence. The resident said the 35-year-old woman had come over to visit and take him to lunch, but had disappeared into the bathroom for an extended period of time.

When the resident checked on the woman, he saw her smoking meth from a pipe. The suspect refused to leave and locked the resident out of his apartment. With the help of the apartment manager, however, officers gained entry and found the suspect in the bathroom, naked with her belongings strewn about the room.

The 35-year-old appeared confused, had dilated pupils, complained of being extremely thirst and was constantly twitching. Police recovered a used meth pipe from the room. Authorities booked the woman for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $2,500.

Nov. 28, 8:40 p.m. — While investigating a disturbance, an officer spoke with a 51-year-old woman at her home in the 800 block of Santa Barbara Street and noted that she had been drinking. A few minutes later, the officer left to speak with the other person involved in the disturbance, who lives in the 100 block of W. Yanonali Street.

While approaching the home, the officer overheard the resident speaking on the phone loudly, saying, “Don’t you drive. Do not get in that car.” Suspicious that the caller was speaking with the 51-year-old woman, the officer notified other officers to be on the lookout for her as a potential DUI driver.

Moments later, another officer spotted the suspect walking away from her residence while engaged in a heated discussion on a cell phone. The officer drove alongside her and waved at her in an attempt to stop her. The woman walked into a city parking lot, climbed into her red Audi and drove out of the lot.

The officer promptly pulled her over for a minor traffic violation. Further investigation revealed the 51-year-old had handed over a false license because her driver’s license was suspended. Authorities booked her for DUI, driving on a suspended license and impersonating another person.

Nov. 29, 1:45 a.m. — After spotting a vehicle traveling the wrong way along Anacapa Street from Cota Street, an officer flipped on her emergency lights and approached the wrong-way driver. The vehicle stopped and backed into a nearby parking lot.

Despite a group of people in the parking lot who shouted at him to stop, the 50-year-old driver continued backing up until his vehicle collided with a parked taxi. Authorities determined the driver was intoxicated and booked him for DUI.

Nov. 29, 3:57 p.m. — After being called to a home on Veronica Springs Road for a verbal argument between a married couple, officers learned the two subjects had made their way, separately, to their home in the 3700 block of Venitia Lane.

Further investigation revealed the husband, a 42-year-old, had become angry after his wife drove off to their home, leaving him at his parents’ house on Veronica Springs Road.

The suspect reportedly said he was going to kill his wife before retrieving a wooden stick and walking home. He broke the screen door leading to the garage and grabbed a hatchet before approaching his wife. The suspect threatened to injure her, even handing over his shirt and telling her to hold it so he didn’t get blood on it.

The woman told police she was scared for her life and fearful that her husband would hurt her. Police booked the 42-year-old suspect for making criminal threats and assault with a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $50,000.

Comment on this article

Subject:

Body:

Poster:

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: 12/1/2009

Perhaps these people should read books instead of smoking meth, injecting heroin, snorting coke, jamming weed in their pants, and giving each other clean urine. What a bunch of nabobs.

Zerelda Mimms

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Drugs... : 12/1/2009

Lets see, pot,coke,meth and heroin... I wonder how many had "medical cards" to carry...? I would say we now officially have a drug problem in Santa Barbara. That goes hand in hand with gangs who distribute the above.

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I feel better now : 12/1/2009

Whenever I start to feel down about my situation in life, I just read the Police Blotter and realize I actually have it pretty darn good.

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above poster : 12/1/2009

WOW gangs aren't distributing these drugs moron

wise thoughts

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Not da homies : 12/1/2009

Yeah, it's the CIA that is! Everyone knows that.

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Drugs in Santa Babylon : 12/1/2009

This is the reason I stopped driving. I still have to watch out for the driving druggies when I cross the street. At least the druggies don't kill me on the bus. They just whack me once in a while with their purses and bags and try to start an argrument about something that doesn't quite exist.

Safer on the bus

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Wildcat Lounge guy : 12/1/2009

That guy's got game! You pick up top-quality women with the old "flash the bag of cocaine" trick. For reals, bro!

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Drugs in SB : 12/2/2009

We 'NOW' have a problem with drugs in SB! Heroine, meth, cocaine, pot.....they have been in this town forever. Nothing seems to be taken seriously here. Drugs, gangs, homelessness, rape.... the SBPD needs to crackdown, once and for all.

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Official Drug Problem : 12/2/2009

Damn! someone smokes a joint and the "Panhandler's Crackdown" has to write 4 paragraphs. What ever it takes to sell "ON PATROL" ads...Good lick with the "Official" drug problem!

Boycott Boy

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Prioritize : 12/3/2009

I think pot is the least of our worries when it comes to the problems in Santa Barbara. The 20 year old is stupid enough to try and "crotch" pot on the plane is not a threat, whereas the illegal farms tended by undocumented armed men, willing to kill people to protect the crop is a problem. Meth and Heroin are the real devils out there. The gangs out there are carrying on a drug trade their recently paroled members start up or take part-in while incarcerated. Again meth and heorin.
Seriously Boycott Boy, get over your issues with SB on Patrol and focus on cleaning up your life.

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