An active manhunt has been underway since Tuesday evening in eastern Goleta after a man with a felony warrant allegedly rammed a sheriff’s patrol vehicle and fled on foot, prompting a multi-agency search across the area.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 6:04 p.m. Tuesday near South Patterson Avenue and Overpass Road. Deputies were attempting to locate a man wanted on a felony warrant when, officials said, he struck a deputy’s vehicle with his own car and escaped the scene on foot.
Authorities later identified the suspect as 40-year-old Anthony Torres Lopez Jr. of Santa Barbara. He is described as approximately 6 feet tall with black hair and a scruffy beard. During the pursuit, Lopez is believed to have discarded clothing, and his current appearance is unknown.
“Search continues — please avoid the area if possible,” Sheriff’s spokesperson Raquel Zick said in a public update Tuesday evening, noting that deputies, K-9 units, and county air support were deployed. Officers from the California Highway Patrol and UC Santa Barbara Police Department also assisted in the search.
The suspect’s vehicle was recovered after being driven along a footpath before he abandoned it and continued on foot, authorities said.
As of Wednesday morning, “the suspect remains outstanding and has an outstanding warrant,” Zick said.
Lopez has prior involvement with the criminal justice system in Santa Barbara County, including a 2023 case connected to a 2022 homicide investigation in Goleta. In that case, he was initially arrested on multiple felony charges, including attempted extortion and weapons-related offenses. Court records show that in January 2024, Lopez pleaded guilty to felony attempted extortion and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle as part of a plea agreement, while other charges were dismissed.
He was sentenced to six years and six months in county jail, with substantial credit for time already served — suggesting a projected release date in late 2026, though custody status can shift based on additional credits, supervised release, or plea deals. Authorities have been contacted for clarification on Lopez’s custody status.
Anyone with information on Lopez’s whereabouts is urged to call 9-1-1. This is an ongoing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
