Holiday Weekend Brief & 4th of July Enforcement Action
Officer Sustains Serious Injury while Arresting Felon with Loaded Firearm:
On July 2, 2021, at 12:09am, a Santa Barbara Police Sergeant observed a suspicious vehicle parked in the 1100 block of Coast Village Circle while patrolling in the area. The driver, and juvenile passenger were contacted and the Sergeant noticed visible narcotics and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle.
The driver was identified as Kevin Alexis Benitez-Carbajal, a 19-year-old Santa Barbara resident. Benitez-Carbajal reached for the vehicle keys and attempted to start the vehicle. Officers tried to physically detain Benitez-Carbajal's to prevent him from fleeing in his vehicle. Benitez-Carbajal actively resisted Officers despite multiple verbal commands to “stop”. During the struggle, Officers observed Benitez-Carbajal reaching towards the floorboard of the vehicle. Officers were able to remove Benitez-Carbajal from his car and he continued to physically fight and resist the Officers. Additional Officers arrived on scene to assist and Benitez-Carbajal was placed under arrest.
One of the Officers sustained a non-life-threatening serious injury during this incident that required immediate medical attention.
Officers searched the vehicle and located a loaded handgun with a high capacity magazine on the floorboard where Benitez-Carbajal was reaching. An additional high capacity magazine was also located inside the vehicle.
Benitez-Carbajal was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for, Resisting Officers with Violence (felony), Possession of a Loaded Firearm with Narcotics (felony), Felon in Possession of Loaded Firearm (felony), Possession of Concealed Firearm (felony), Felon in Possession of Ammunition (felony), Child Endangerment (felony), Possession of Narcotics (misdemeanor), and Possession of Paraphernalia (misdemeanor). Bail was set at $100,000.
Ventura Police Assist SBPD in Arrest of Wanted Subject:
Santa Barbara Police received a criminal threats report on June 30, 2021. During the investigation, Patrol Officers determined the suspect, Cyranno Azul Campos, 24-year-old Santa Barbara resident, had made serious threats to an acquaintance.
Santa Barbara Officers and Detectives began investigating the crime and determined the threats were a valid concern and met the elements for a felony criminal threats case. An arrest warrant was approved for his arrest. Campos had previously been arrested two times this year for firearm related threats and/or possession of firearms.
Detectives located Campos in the City of Ventura and Santa Barbara Police Detectives contacted Ventura Police Department for assistance in apprehending him. On July 2, 2021, Ventura Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) attempted to arrest Campos while he was arriving at work that day. Campos fled from Officers and barricaded himself in a nearby restroom. Santa Barbara Police Detectives responded to Ventura to assist the allied agency. After an hour and a half, Ventura Police were able to negotiate Campos’ safe surrender.
Campos was booked in Santa Barbara County Jail for, Criminal Threats (felony), Committing a Felony while out on Bail (felony), and Resisting Arrest (misdemeanor). Bail is set at $500,000.
Promenade Foot Patrol Officers Arrest Car Thief:
Around noon, on July 2, 2021, Officers assigned to the State Street Promenade were on foot patrol when they were conducting an area check in a local business’ parking lot located in the 400 block of State Street. They observed a female subject, identified as Lindsay Lilburn, a 38-year-old transient using a "window punch" tool to repeatedly strike at the driver's side window of a black Subaru parked in the parking lot.
Officers contacted Lilburn due to her suspicious behavior and a record check of the vehicle revealed it was stolen on June 30, 2021 from a home located downtown. Lilburn provided a fictitious statement to Officers about “borrowing the car from a friend.” Lilburn was arrested and Officers located narcotics and paraphernalia in her possession.
Lilburn was arrested for Vehicle Theft (felony), Possession of Narcotics (misdemeanor), Possession of Paraphernalia (misdemeanor), and was booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail. Bail is set at $25,000. The stolen vehicle was returned to the rightful owner.
Serious Injury DUI Collision on Cliff Drive:
On July 4, 2021, around 9:20pm, multiple Santa Barbara Police Officers, Fire Department, and AMR Paramedic units responded to the 2300 block of Cliff Drive for a report of serious injury traffic collision involving a single motor vehicle that collided with a tree.
Witnesses informed Officers that a black Ford Mustang was traveling at a high rate of speed east on Cliff Drive when it appeared the driver of the vehicle lost control while navigating the windy road and collided with a large tree on the ocean side of Cliff Drive. There were three passengers inside the vehicle at the time of the collision as well.
Neighbors in the area heard the collision and ran out to render aid to the occupants that all appeared to have serious injuries. The Santa Barbara Police Critical Accident Team responded to investigate this collision due to the serious injuries sustained by all involved.
Fire Department personnel needed to use special equipment to extricate the occupants. All four occupants of the vehicle were transported to Cottage Hospital for medical treatment.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Marlon Anibal Valle Mejia, 23-year-old Santa Barbara resident. Mejia is suspected of being under the influence at the time of the collision and was administratively placed under arrest while he undergoes further medical treatment. This case is still under investigation.
4th of July Enforcement Action Information – July 4, 2021:
This summary information directly relates to those Officers assigned to the 4th of July Special Event and does not include Patrol Officer statistical information. The Santa Barbara Police Department conducted the following enforcement:
Traffic & Parking Citations: 127
Municipal Code Citations: 11
Felony Arrest: 1
Misdemeanor Arrest: 5
DUI: 1
Calls for Service: 31
Reports: 6
Fireworks Calls to Dispatch: 172
More information on detailed statistical data is available upon direct request