A 70-year-old Carpinteria man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after allegedly threatening people with a weapon and barricading himself inside an office at the ultra-private Birnam Wood Golf Club in Montecito, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called to the exclusive golf course on January 27 after reports of a man armed with a side-handled baton making threats on the property, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Raquel Zick said in a statement. When deputies arrived, they found the suspect barricaded inside the fitness director’s office.
After a brief standoff, the man exited the office, dropped the baton, and was taken into custody. Deputies reported that the suspect was combative during the arrest, including spitting in a deputy’s face.
A subsequent search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed what the Sheriff’s Office described as an assortment of weapons, including a loaded handgun, swords, and escrima-style fighting sticks.
The suspect was identified as Chris Ernest Wiedmann, 70, of Carpinteria. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Main Jail on felony obstruction charges, along with multiple misdemeanor counts, including brandishing a weapon, battery on a peace officer, possession of a baton, trespassing, and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Bail was set at $150,000.
Birnam Wood Golf Club, a members-only private club known for its tightly controlled access and high-end amenities, declined to comment on the incident or on whether Wiedmann was a club member.
Public records show no prior criminal history for Wiedmann aside from a vehicle-related infraction in 2023.
No injuries were reported during the incident, and deputies said the situation was resolved without further escalation.
The investigation remains ongoing.
