Sheriff's Department

Accused stabber David Hartsock

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Arresting a Santa Maria man suspected of stabbing an Isla Vista resident Saturday morning was made easy for the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, who quickly found that had already been taken to the Santa Barbara County Jail after being arrested for allegedly driving under the influence.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a stabbing—which was not gang related—on the street outside of 6651 Sabado Tarde and when they arrived, authorities found UCSB student Paul Ozhekh, 22, with multiple stab wounds. He was taken in for emergency surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with two stab wounds, one of which punctured his lungs.

According to authorities, David Hartsock, 20, was in town for a party and started heckling a couple of passing skateboarders around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The two stopped and Hartsock stood face-to-face arguing with Ozhekh, according to Sheriff's Department spokesperson Sgt. Erik Raney, when he “out of the blue” stabbed the victim and took off running.

Because of what Raney called “brilliant detective work,”, authorities were able to piece together the name of a possible suspect, and learned he had been arrested for driving under the influence after he crashed his car on Highway 101 at about 2:30 a.m.

“After speaking with the suspect, examining all of the evidence and circumstances surrounding the stabbing,” detectives arrested Hartsock Tuesday, and he still at the County Jail, now on suspicion of attempted murder. No weapon has been recovered to date.

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