Lights and Sirens in the Santa Ynez Valley | Crime and Courts

ARREST — Two unidentified people were arrested and charges were recommended against a third after laptop computers and files containing sensitive information were stolen from a vehicle parked at the Chumash Casino Resort.

A court reporter told deputies around 11:40 p.m. that someone had entered the trunk of her vehicle while it was parked at the resort and stole her work laptops and files containing information that could identify numerous individuals.

Because of the software on the laptops, the loss was valued at more than $30,000.

Using casino surveillance video, deputies tracked one of two suspects to the casino floor, where he was detained by casino security officers and allegedly was in possession of a bindle of methamphetamine.

The suspect also had nonextraditable warrants issued for his arrest in two counties, but he refused to speak with deputies and requested a lawyer.

Further review of surveillance footage showed the second suspect left the area in a red Ford Flex, and deputies subsequently found paperwork from the victim’s files scattered around the roadway.

Deputies were unable to find the Flex at the casino, but while still there they saw it drive by and stopped the vehicle.

Inside, deputies allegedly found more paperwork stolen from the victim’s car along with a Hotel Corque room key, so they went to the hotel room and contacted two women.

A search of the room allegedly turned up the stolen laptops and paperwork along with about 2 ounces of methamphetamine and indications of drug sales.

The two seen on surveillance video were arrested on suspicion of grand theft, conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale, with bail increases requested, and the same charges were recommended against a third suspect.

The stolen laptops and files were returned to the court reporter.

ARREST — After Chumash Casino Resort undercover officers found Laura Valenzuela allegedly intoxicated and passed out on the casino floor at 8:15 p.m., an ambulance was summoned, but emergency services personnel said it was not a medical issue but a law enforcement issue.

Inside the casino, undercover officers located Valenzuela’s sister, who agreed to take her home, but after officers escorted her to their car, Valenzuela jumped out and kicked the officers.

She was handcuffed and taken to the security bench to await the arrival of deputies. But before they got there, the sister left, stranding Valenzuela, who was subsequently arrested on suspicion of public intoxication and was booked into County Jail.

INCIDENT — Undercover officers detained two people in the Chumash Casino Resort parking structure at 1:10 a.m. after they allegedly discovered loaded hypodermic syringes on the man.

A responding deputy conducted a probable-cause search of the couple’s vehicle and allegedly found multiple loaded syringes, a glass methamphetamine bong and 10 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

The man’s female companion apparently showed symptoms of having taken drugs, and an examination allegedly revealed she was under the influence of a controlled substance.

Deputies cited the man for suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and possessing drug paraphernalia and cited the woman for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Both suspects were banned from the casino.

INCIDENT — At 12:27 a.m., deputies located a man who showed signs of being a longtime drug user in a disabled vehicle at the Park and Ride lot on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez.

Deputies allegedly found a methamphetamine pipe and bong in the vehicle and determined a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest had been issued in Kings County.

The man was cited for suspicion of possessing paraphernalia for smoking a controlled substance and was released to his sister, but deputies submitted a form seeking a driver’s license retest to the DMV base on the man’s hygiene and his alleged admission he had been a drug addict for more than 20 years.

INCIDENT — After stopping a vehicle for an obscured windshield at 9:10 a.m. at the Park and Ride lot on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, deputies allegedly found a passenger in possession of a methamphetamine pipe, and she was cited for suspicion of possessing paraphernalia for smoking a controlled substance.

INCIDENT — Deputies who stopped a vehicle about 10:30 a.m. near Sanja Cota Avenue and Edison Street in Santa Ynez for an obstructed windshield and a missing license plate allegedly found the driver’s license had been suspended for driving under the influence.

A search of the vehicle allegedly turned up a methamphetamine pipe, which was claimed by her passenger.

The driver was cited for suspicion of driving with a license suspended for DUI, and the passenger was cited for suspicion of possessing paraphernalia for smoking a controlled substance.

INCIDENT — While patrolling Santa Ynez Park just after 3 p.m., deputies found a man asleep in his vehicle and in possession of drug paraphernalia in the 1000 block of Cuesta Street.

Conducting a probable-cause and probation search, deputies allegedly found a usable amount of heroin, suboxone strips and drug paraphernalia.

He was cited for suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and possessing paraphernalia for smoking a controlled substance and was released to a family friend.

INCIDENT — Deputies stopped a vehicle for excessively dark window tinting at 3:40 p.m. at First Street and Molle Way in Solvang and allegedly found the driver in possession of a hydrocodone pill.

He was cited for suspicion of driving an unregistered vehicle, having an obscured windshield and possessing a controlled substance without a prescription.

INCIDENT — An employee of Wheel Fun Rentals in Solvang called deputies about 3:45 p.m. to turn in suspected narcotics wrapped in foil found in front of the business.

INCIDENT — When deputies responded to a report of a man breaking into a car with a crowbar at 5:20 p.m. at Maple Avenue and Second Place in Solvang, they found the man owned the car and had locked his keys inside.

However, he allegedly admitted to having a methamphetamine pipe, and a search of the vehicle allegedly turned up a meth pipe containing usable amount of methamphetamine and separate bag of methamphetamine.

He was cited for suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and possessing paraphernalia for smoking a controlled substance and was released.

INCIDENT — A man reported at 10:40 p.m. that someone had broken into his truck at the Landsby hotel and stolen a generator and two buckets of tools. He said it was the second time in six months his truck had been burglarized.

However, due to poor surveillance footage, the suspects could not be identified, and deputies suspended the case pending further leads.

ARREST — About 11:45 p.m., deputies spotted a man wearing dark glasses digging around a vehicle with a woman in the front passenger seat that was parked in the Chumash Casino Resort parking structure, and both allegedly showed signs of being narcotics users as well as being under the arrest of a controlled substance.

The man was allegedly found to be in possession of methamphetamine and admitted having a meth pipe in the vehicle.

The woman, later identified as Carolyn Poolet Lopez, allegedly at first gave deputies a false name to keep them from discovering a $50,000 felony warrant had been issued locally for her arrest on suspicion of burglary, disobeying a court order, receiving stolen property, mail theft, forgery, shoplifting and possessing a forged prescription and a $50,000 warrant issued for her arrest in San Bernardino County for auto theft.

Then another woman approached, began speaking with deputies, allegedly showed symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance and was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine, but she agreed to accompany deputies to her hotel room to retrieve her possessions.

There, deputies allegedly found more methamphetamine, psychedelic mushrooms, used hypodermic syringes and other drug paraphernalia.

Lopez was arrested and booked on the warrants, and the other two were cited for suspicion of possessing controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. All three were banned from the casino.

ARREST — Chumash Casino Resort undercover officers detained a man later identified as Bryan Jon Goossens at 3:40 p.m. for allegedly creating a disturbance on the gaming floor.

As he was being escorted outside, he continued to resist and challenged officers, so he was handcuffed to await the arrival of deputies, who allegedly determined he was severely intoxicated.

Goossens allegedly admitted he was too intoxicated to care for himself, so he was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication and creating a public disturbance and was booked into County Jail.

INCIDENT — Deputies responding to a collision at Alamo Pintado Road and Creekside Place in Solvang at 10:25 p.m. found the driver allegedly exhibiting signs of being under the influence of alcohol.

The driver also allegedly admitted consuming alcoholic beverages before driving, so he was taken by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where deputies conducted an investigation and issued him a citation for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol before he was released from the hospital.

ARREST — After deputies stopped a vehicle with such severe front-end damage it was unsafe to drive about 11:30 p.m. at Calor Drive and Highway 246 in Buellton, they contacted California Highway Patrol officers who were investigating a hit-and-run crash on Highway 101 near Highway 1.

Deputies confirmed the vehicle they stopped matched the missing hit-and-run vehicle in the crash, and CHP officers responded to Buellton and arrested the unidentified driver on suspicion of hit-and-run driving and driving under the influence.

ARREST — When deputies found Jose Antonio sleeping in his car at the Park and Ride lot on Highway 246 near Highway 154, he allegedly consented to a search of the vehicle.

The search allegedly turned up methamphetamine on the floorboard and a large quantity of marijuana plus a scale and plastic baggies inside the trunk, and a records check revealed a misdemeanor warrant had been issued for his arrest.

Antonio was taken into custody on the warrant, and deputies said a request for charges on the narcotics violation would be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office.