DUI Round-Up Report: August 26 through September 21

In the past four weeks, Santa Barbara Police Officers have arrested 41 more drivers for DUI. Here is synopsis of the arrest incidents:

On 8/26 at 6:55 p.m., officers responded to a hit-and-run collision located at an apartment parking lot in the 500 block of W. Canon Perdido Street. A 2000 VW Jetta had backed into a parked 1988 Buick, and then fled the scene. Witnesses obtained the suspect vehicle license number. Officer Sathre responded to the registered owner’s address, located in the 1500 block of W. Valerio Street. The suspect vehicle was parked in the garage with the driver’s door wide open. Kerstin Andrea Maria Williamson, age 45 was in the garage, preparing to go into the house. When contacted, Williamson alluded to the collision, describing it as “a scratch.” Williamson showed symptoms of being impaired. Officer Beutel, who works DUI enforcement, arrived to conduct a DUI investigation. Williamson was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run. Williamson provided a blood sample for analysis.

On 8/26 at 10:33 p.m., Officer Beutel spotted a 2003 Chevy SUV driving the wrong way on Gutierrez Street. The driver realized his mistake, made a U-Turn, and proceeded down State Street. Officer Beutel stopped the vehicle near the Amtrak Station. The driver, Michael Joel Berteloot, age 54 showed symptoms of drug use and was caught trying to stuff a ‘crack-pipe’ into a seat crevice. Berteloot was arrested for DUI drugs, being under the influence of an illegal drug, and possession of the crack pipe. He provided a blood sample.

On 8/28 at 12:19 a.m., Officer Beutel stopped Emily Kitchen, age 22, in her Ford at 500 Castillo Street for rolling through 3 stop signs and speeding. Kitchen was arrested for DUI. She provided a breath test of .11 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC.)

On 8/28 at 1:50 a.m., Officer Hollis stopped Derek James Luh, age 18, in his white BMW, at 600 W. Gutierrez Street for speeding and loud music. Luh was arrested for DUI and being a minor with alcohol in his system.

On 8/28 at 11:24 p.m., Officer Beutel assisted on a major traffic collision at 3000 Foothill Road. A 2005 Audi driven by a 17-year-old male had rear-ended a parked 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. Both vehicles sustained major damage. The Audi driver and his male passenger were transported to Cottage Hospital for treatment. The driver said he swerved to avoid an animal; however, he provided a breath test of .12 BAC. He was arrested for felony DUI for causing injury to his passenger and being a minor driving with alcohol in his system. He was released to the hospital for medical care. Neither injury was considered serious.

On 8/29 at 2:02 a.m., Officer Beutel stopped Juan Carlos Ruvalcaba Munoz, age 38, in his silver SUV, on Bradbury Avenue, for driving about 8 mph up Chapala Street, and weaving so erratically that he nearly collided with parked cars. Munoz was arrested for DUI and violation of probation stemming from a prior DUI conviction. He provided a blood sample.

On 8/29 at 8:15 p.m., Officer Hons was working a DUI check point at 1500 Bath Street. He contacted Laurie Nance, age 60, in her teal colored convertible. Nance displayed signs of alcohol consumption so a DUI investigation was conducted. Nance was arrested for DUI; she provided a blood sample.

On 8/30 at 12:58 a.m., Officer Ahrens stopped Katrina Johanson, age 21, in her white Jeep, at 400 Garden Street, for driving at night without her lights on. Johanson was arrested for DUI; she provided a breath sample of .10 BAC.

On 9/1 at 3:30 a.m., Officer Klug stopped Laura Fairbanks, age 36, in her Nissan Altima, on Las Positas for driving an estimated 65 mph down Cliff Drive. Fairbanks was arrested for DUI; she provided a breath test of .12 BAC.

On 9/1 at 3:40 a.m., Officer Washington was driving southbound on Hwy 101 when he noticed a white Dodge Ram truck driving an estimated 70 mph and weaving over the lines. He stopped the vehicle at Hwy 101 S/B Castillo Off-ramp and contacted the driver, Carlos Alvarado Alvarez Escobar, age 28. Escobar was arrested for DUI and having no insurance. He provided a breath test of .19 BAC.

On 9/1 at 4:17 a.m., police responded to the area of 200 Cottage Grove on a call of multiple traffic collisions. Witnesses reported a Yellow Cab vehicle had collided with several parked cars. A witness followed the suspect vehicle to 500 Anacapa Street, where the driver abandoned the wrecked taxicab due to mechanical failure. The witness followed the driver as he stumbled and staggered his way to the 600 block of State Street, where police took him into custody. He is identified as Brian Paul Gray, age 53. The investigation determined that five parked vehicles had been struck in a three block trail of carnage. Gray was arrested for DUI and multiple counts of hit-and-run.

On 9/1 at 11:57 p.m., Officer Beutel stopped Thanh Nam Daniel Pham, age 21, in his Ford Mustang on Parker Way for unsafe lane change, improper turn, and weaving. Pham was arrested for DUI; he provided a breath test of .11 BAC. There was one passenger in the vehicle.

On 9/2 at 10:32 p.m., Officer B. Larson stopped Jessica Coleman, age 25, in her black Ford Mustang for running the stop sign at Via Diego and La Colina. Officer Beutel assisted with a DUI investigation. Coleman was arrested for DUI drugs; a urine sample was obtained for analysis. A meth pipe was found in the vehicle.

On 9/2 at 11:14 p.m., Officer Benson stopped Christopher Allan Magann, age 22, in his 2007 Toyota Tacoma pickup, at 400 Santa Barbara Street for improper turn and for running over the curb. Officer Beutel assisted with the DUI investigation. Magann was arrested for DUI; he provided a breath test of .11 BAC.

On 9/3 at 1:14 a.m., Officer Tonello stopped a 2010 Mazda at State and Hitchcock for an unusual driving pattern of driving slow, signaling for turns without making them, and nearly hitting a chain link fence in the parking lot of Bicycle Bobs. This near-collision prompted a passenger to exclaim: “Whoa!” Officer Beutel arrived to assist. She arrested the driver, Joseph Dirk Woodworth, age 21 for DUI. There were three passengers. A blood sample was obtained for analysis.

On 9/3 at 4:57 p.m., Officers Corbett and Hunt responded to the area of Olive and Islay Street on a report of a citizen following an impaired driver. Based on the citizen’s information, police located the white BMW parked at 400 E. Islay Street. Linda Marie Dahl, age 52 was behind the wheel. She appeared very intoxicated. The RP citizen identified Dahl as the driver. Dahl was arrested for DUI. She proved a breath sample of .31 BAC.

On 9/4 at 1:48 a.m., Officer Beutel stopped Steven James Maglio, age 29, in his black Audi, at 100 W. Cota Street for rolling through a stop sign, unsafe lane change, and speed. Maglio was arrested for DUI; he provided a blood sample. There was a passenger in the vehicle.

On 9/4 at 11:54 p.m., Officer Beutel responded to the Jack-in-the-Box drive-thru at 501 N. Milpas Street on a citizen call of an impaired driver. The citizen called after a 1997 Lincoln Town Car bumped another vehicle while in line for a food order. Officer Beutel stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver, Joaquin Rojas-Dorado, age 45. Inside the vehicle was an 18-pack of beer with two empties rolling on the floorboards. Rojas-Dorado was arrested for DUI, driving on a suspended license, and a warrant stemming from a prior case of driving on a suspended license. He provided a breath test of .22 BAC.

On 9/5 at 2:27 a.m., two CHP officers were driving downtown when they witnessed a 2000 Silver Honda collide with another vehicle in the intersection of State and Ortega Streets. The Honda accelerated down State Street at 40 mph, and then made a sharp right turn to Cota Street. Officer Beutel did not witness the collision but followed the CHP officers as they stopped the Honda at 1st W. Cota Street. The Honda had minor damage from the collision. The other vehicle had also fled the scene. Officer Beutel assisted with the traffic stop; and contacted the driver, Erik Arevalo, age 19. There were 4 passengers, opened cans of beer, and a baggie of marijuana inside the vehicle. Arevalo was arrested for DUI combined alcohol and marijuana, driving while under 21 with alcohol in his system, hit-and-run, and for driving with marijuana and open containers of alcohol in his vehicle.

On 9/5 at 9:45 p.m., Officer Klug stopped Armando Figueroa Lopez, age 46, at 1900 Cliff Drive, in his Isuzu Amigo for driving without lights, a tail light out, and for swerving. Lopez was arrested for DUI and driving on a suspended license. He provided a breath test of .32 BAC.

On 9/6/10 at 1:49 a.m., Sgt Ella stopped Lauren Nicole Parks, age 23, in her 2008 VW Jetta, at 1500 Santa Barbara Street for swerving over the line and speeding. Parks was arrested for DUI, alcohol and possibly prescription medication. She provided a blood sample for analysis.

On 9/6 at 11:30 a.m., Officers Thompson and Colato stopped Christopher John Garcia, age 49, in his 1987 Chevy El Camino, at 2000 Chapala Street for driving while straddling the center line. Garcia was arrested for DUI; he provided a breath test of .30 BAC.

On 9/8 at 1:41 a.m., Officer Kerr assisted Officer Van Eyck with a roll-over traffic collision at 2400 Tallant Road. Teresa Vega, age 21 had been driving down the hill in her 1999 Honda. She turned too sharply to the left, ran off the road, up a dirt embankment, and gently rolled her Honda over onto the roof. Vega was arrested for DUI; she provided a blood sample.

On 9/10 at 12:06 a.m., Officer Beutel stopped Adam Michael Rhodes, age 21, in his 1998 Ford Mustang at 400 Castillo Street for a brake light out. Rhodes had symptoms of using marijuana possibly in combination with a central nervous system stimulant. He was arrested for DUI and provided a blood sample for analysis.

On 9/10 at 1:12 a.m., Officer Ruiz stopped Jamie Lynn Berbert, age 22, in her 2006 Jeep, at 300 E. Ortega Street for inoperable tail and brake light. Officer Beutel arrived to assist. Berbert was arrested for DUI; she provided a breath test of .11 BAC.

On 9/10 at 3:07 p.m., Sgt. Johnson and Officer B. Larson responded to 1300 Gillespie Street on a ‘check the welfare’ call. A woman was reported passed out behind the wheel of her Mitsubishi Eclipse, parked with the engine running. They found Marin Diskant, age 28 in the vehicle. A vehicle matching this description was the subject of an earlier ‘be on the lookout’ call of a very impaired driver on the Westside. The witness to this earlier call responded and identified Diskant and her vehicle. Diskant appeared very impaired. Inside her vehicle was a handful of loose pills including: Suboxone, Diazepam, and Soma. Diskant was arrested for DUI, illegal possession of the prescription drugs, and violation of probation.

On 9/10 at 11:54 p.m., Officer Beutel stopped Claudia Lucienne Palma Muyle, age 24, in her green Toyota, at 1st East De La Guerra Street for speed and red light violation. Muyle was arrested for DUI; she provided a blood sample. There were 3 passengers.

On 9/11 at 1:04 a.m., Officer Hall stopped Dolores Zavala, age 28, in her silver Chrysler 4-door, at 400 N. Voluntario Street, for unlawfully tinted windows. Officer Beutel handled the DUI investigation and arrested Zavala for DUI; she provided a breath test of .13 BAC.

On 9/12 at 1:05 a.m., Officers went to the 1400 block of Almond Avenue on a disturbance call. The reporting party, Carlos Ernesto Belloso, age 43 had been drinking. After settling the disturbance, officers noticed Belloso and his girlfriend getting into a Toyota Previa van parked nearby. Officers warned Belloso not to drive due to his alcohol consumption. Belloso agreed and got out his phone to make a call, presumably to a cab company. One-by-one the officers on the call left the area to handle other calls. Sgt. Hunt remained parked nearby, suspicious that Belloso may not heed his good advice. After a few minutes, Belloso got in his van and started driving away. Sgt. Hunt stopped him on Almond Avenue. Officer Beutel handled the DUI investigation and arrested Belloso for DUI and driving on a suspended license. Belloso provided a blood sample.

On 9/12 at 7:26 p.m., Officer Ahrens stopped Simon Ira Feldstein, age 18, in his white Infinity sedan, at the 1st block of Bath Street for expired registration. The vehicle interior smelled strongly of marijuana. Feldstein produced an expired doctor’s recommendation that was altered to appear current. Police found 4.9 ounces of marijuana in his backpack, as well as smoking pipes and a scale. As police were investigating, a text message appeared on Feldstein’s phone from someone looking to purchase marijuana. Other ‘buy’ messages were on his phone. Feldstein had a camera which included photos of a small ‘grow’ he maintained in a previous residence. He said he sold marijuana to friends and acquaintances to ‘get by.’ Feldstein was arrested for DUI marijuana, unlicensed driver, possession of marijuana for sales, and transportation of marijuana. He provided a urine sample.

On 9/13 at 7:35 p.m., Officer Hettema went to a Cabrillo Blvd hotel on a disturbance call. The management wanted to evict two women for loudly yelling and arguing. Officer Hettema contacted the pair at their room, who continued to yell at each other despite police presence. Officer Hettema escorted the women and their baggage to a Ford Focus parked out back, where they placed the items in the trunk. Due to their alcohol consumption, both women were warned not to drive. They promised not to. Officer Hettema was suspicious that they would disregard his good advice, so he parked around the corner. Minutes later, he spotted one of them, Sarah Marie Cannon, age 35, driving away in the Ford Focus. Cannon was stopped and arrested for DUI; she provided a breath test of .15 BAC.

On 9/14 at 10:39 p.m., Officer Klug stopped Erica Johanna Wilson, age 33, in her 2001 Mercedes, at 1800 Cliff Drive, for a right-of-way violation that occurred at Cliff and Meigs Rd. Wilson was arrested for DUI; she provided a blood sample.

On 9/17 at 1:01 a.m., Officer Beutel stopped Christopher Dennis Johnson, age 28, in a 2010 Nissan, at 100 W. De La Guerra Street for weaving up two blocks of Chapala Street. Johnson was arrested for DUI alcohol in combination with marijuana, violation of probation from a prior DUI conviction, and violation of the terms of her probation: not drive with alcohol in his system. Johnson provided a blood test.

On 9/17 at 10:53 p.m., Officer Beutel stopped Hether Lee Briggs, age 33, in her 2008 Honda, at 300 State Street for weaving, running a stop sign, and speeding. Briggs was arrested for DUI; she provided a breath test of .15 BAC. There was one passenger.

On 9/18 at 1:05 a.m., Officer Reyes was on patrol when a light blue Chevy Malibu came screeching up to a red light at Anacapa and Victoria Street. The vehicle ran the limit line and stopped partway into the intersection. Officer Reyes contacted the driver, Kendalle Elise Thompson, age 29. Apparently, Thompson had been driving with the parking brake set, which affected the vehicle’s normal acceleration and braking. Officer Beutel arrived to conduct a DUI investigation, and arrested Thompson for DUI. She provided a blood sample for analysis.

On 9/18 at 6:12 p.m., Officer Hall responded to a hit-and-run collision that occurred in an apartment parking lot on Mason Street. While pulling into a parking space, the suspect had collided with a 2003 Chevy, which was pushed into a 1995 Honda. The damage was significant. A witness followed the suspect vehicle, a 1997 Acura to 100 State Street. Officer Hall contacted the driver, Robert Regulus Quinn, age 62. Officer Hall arrested Quinn for DUI and hit-and-run. He provided a breath test of .09 BAC.

On 9/18 at 8:09 p.m., Officers Hall and Radujko responded to 1st E. Montecito Street on a traffic collision. A 2005 VW driven by Stephanie Hughston Burke, age 21 had collided with a parked 2003 VW and a parked 2000 Jeep. There was moderate damage. Officer Hall arrested Burke for DUI; she provided a breath test of .14 BAC.

On 9/19 at 12:17 a.m., Officer Payne stopped Loraine Elizabeth Kuzen-Stephens, age 39, in her blue Toyota Highlander, at 300 W. Pueblo Street for driving without lights and weaving. Kuzen-Stephens was arrested for DUI and no insurance. She provided a breath test of .16 BAC. There was a passenger in the vehicle.

On 9/19 at 8:27 p.m., Officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 2400 block of Calle Montilla. The information was an ex-boyfriend had broken into a house, was intoxicated, and refused to leave. While the officers were en-route, the ex-boyfriend drove away in his green Honda Civic. Officer Klug spotted the vehicle driving on Flora Vista and made a traffic stop. He arrested the driver, Jeffrey Robert Flanders-Seaman, age 30 for DUI. A blood sample was obtained.

On 9/20 at 6:37 p.m., Officer Washington stopped Jamison Ross Martin, age 21, in his black Mazda-3, at 700 Garden Street, for having illegally tinted windows. Officer Klug assisted with a DUI investigation. Martin was arrested for DUI Marijuana and was served notice that his license was previously suspended by the DMV. Martin provided a urine sample for analysis.

On 9/21 at 4:55 p.m., Officer Ahrens responded to 1900 Bath Street to assist the Fire Department on a medical call involving an uncooperative male. Fire Fighter Zampese had arrived to find Christian Kelly Varner, age 21, passed out in his white 1999 Dodge Durango. The engine was on, the vehicle was in drive, and Varner’s foot was on the brake. Next to Varner was heroin paraphernalia including a burnt spoon and syringe with the distinctive brown residue common to injectable heroin. Varner was transported to Cottage Hospital for treatment. He was arrested for DUI drugs and possession of paraphernalia. A blood sample was obtained for analysis.