Sheriff’s Dog Takes Down Alleged Stalker

A Santa Barbara Sheriff’s K-9 named Odin helped end the pursuit of a suspected stalker last Friday in Goleta.

Just after 9 p.m., deputies responded to the area of Camino de Vida at Turnpike Road for a report of a stalking incident. The suspect, identified as 50-year-old Santa Barbara resident Carlos Medina, was on active parole. Deputies attempted to pull Medina over, but he sped away through a nearby neighborhood. He eventually parked near the intersection of Calle Morella and Gwyne Avenue and fled on foot.

Odin is one of three German Shepards assigned to the Sheriff's Patrol Operations

Deputies located Medina hiding behind a parked car and tried to arrest him, but he resisted. Odin was deployed “and was successful in apprehending Medina,” a Sheriff’s spokesperson said. “Medina was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries.” Afterward, he was booked in County Jail on various charges and is being held on $150,000 bail.

“This case is a great example of how important our K-Unit is to our crime-fighting efforts,” said the Sheriff’s spokesperson. “We are fortunate to currently have three German Shepherds assigned to Patrol Operations and a Labrador assigned to Custody Operations. … Our program is funded predominantly by donations and has been greatly supported by the Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse and its Project Deputy Dog Program. If you want to help support our K9 Unit, go to the Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse website at www.sbsheriffsposse.org and click on the Project Deputy Dog tab. You can also follow our K9 Unit on Instagram at @sbso_k9s.”