The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A central California man who is currently on parole is facing multiple charges after allegedly smashing a stolen car into several vehicles in a grocery store parking lot before trying to flee from the authorities.
Early in the afternoon on December 8, a man was allegedly driving recklessly in a Trader Joe’s parking lot in Santa Barbara. It was reported that he backed into one car and struck several other vehicles in the lot, in addition to nearly hitting pedestrians. After the alleged event, the man reportedly sped away. The authorities were notified, and officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department headed to Trader Joe’s to investigate.
At the same time, someone who saw the vehicle on the road called 911 to give them the car’s license plate number after witnessing the driver allegedly fail to stop at a red light and nearly crash into people riding bicycles. Officers began searching for his car when they received the suspect’s location.
The police saw a vehicle parked in the middle of the street that matched the description of the one the suspect was in, and when the driver spotted them, he reportedly started to run away. When he was caught, the man was identified as a local 27-year-old parolee with two strikes and a long list of priors.
The suspect was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail. He is facing multiple preliminary charges including resisting arrest, driving under the influence, three counts of hit and run, possession of a stolen vehicle, burglary, making criminal threats, and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, in addition to a charge for violation of parole. He is currently being held without bail.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.