Hillside House Employee Arrested for Attempted Murder

A longtime employee of Hillside House — a residential facility on Veronica Springs Road that cares for developmentally disabled adults — was arrested Thursday for stabbing another employee during an argument. Santa Barbara resident Evodio Garcia, 62, was booked into County Jail on attempted murder charges. His victim, a 62-year-old Goleta man, was transported to Cottage Hospital and treated for two severe stab wounds.

According to Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Kelly Hoover, deputies were dispatched at around 11:15 a.m. to Hillside House after someone there called 9-1-1 and hung up. An investigation revealed that the two men — who’ve reportedly been having problems for years — started arguing in the facility’s kitchen, then challenged each other to fight outside.

As they began to walk outdoors, Garcia allegedly picked up a large knife and started stabbing his coworker. A supervisor heard the scuffle and intervened by grabbing Garcia. The supervisor — who didn’t know Garcia was armed when he took hold of him, said Hoover — convinced Garcia to place the knife on the kitchen counter and walk with him to the front office. Other employees were alerted to call for help and assist the wounded man.

Deputies took Garcia into custody. His bail is set at $500,000. “It should be noted,” said Hoover in a statement, “that at no time were any of the residents, clients or other staff at the Hillside House Facility threatened or attacked by the suspect.”