A man was arrested on Thursday afternoon after running from police and hiding in a backyard.
According to the Santa Maria Police Department, Community Service Technicians (CST), who are unsworn employees of the Police Department, were sent to a Church located at 751 E Foster Road for a report of an abandoned stolen vehicle. Since the vehicle was abandoned, the unsworn members were sent to take a report and arrange for the owner to recover the vehicle.
As the CST’s were doing their report, a male approached them and was identified as the driver of the vehicle. The CST’s requested assistance from Santa Maria Police Officers and Deputies with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
As Officers were enroute, the suspect took off running. The suspect ran through an open field and into the backyards of nearby homes. The suspect was believed to be in a backyard, and an SMPD Drone was able to confirm the suspect was in the backyard.
Officers contacted the suspect where he was non-compliant and was not listening to Officers. After a short while and telling the suspect they would use PepperBalls to coax him out, the suspect peacefully gave up and was arrested.
The unidentified suspect was arrested by Santa Maria Police Officers for possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest. The suspect is presumed innocent. The suspect was also examined by Paramedics with American Medical Response on scene but was not treated.