SANTA BARBARA - The Santa Barbara Police Department had another busy weekend, especially March 13th. Here is a sample of activity in that one 24-hour period.
On 3/13 at 12:16 a.m., police responded to Tonic nightclub at 634 State Street on a disturbance call. Nightclub security pointed out Thomas McWilliams Pomare, age 26. Pomare has been banned from Tonic for causing disturbances in the past. Tonight, despite the ban, Pomare tried to get inside. When security denied him, he made threats before his friends pulled him away. The 6-foot 5-inch, 200 lbs plus Pomare broke free from his friends and rushed back to Tonic’s, knocking into pedestrians in the process. He made more threats and tried to provoke a fight by fake-punching security personnel. Officer Alvarado arrested Pomare for disturbing the peace, and for a $5,000 warrant stemming from a prior disturbing the peace incident.
On 3/13 at 12:35 a.m., police responded to an assault that just occurred in the 500 block of State Street. The victim was a 24-year-old Goleta man. Witnesses reported the victim walking down State Street, when a suspect came from behind, grabbed his shirt, and began punching him in the face. A second suspect arrived and punched the victim in the back several times. The victim bent over and covered his face with his arms. The second suspect kicked the victim in the head, knocking him down. A witness reported the victim went unconscious for 1-2 minutes. Officer Epstein arrived in time to find one of the suspects, John Foisy, age 20 located in a breezeway connecting State Street to City Lot 11. Witnesses identified him as the first assailant. Foisy denied any involvement, but had fresh abrasions on his knuckles and blood on his pants. The second suspect was not located. The victim stated that earlier, he had been “talking with a girl.” The two suspects said the girl was with them, and became confrontational. The victim walked away to avoid a fight, but was chased down and attacked. The victim was transported to Cottage Hospital for treatment. Foisy was booked for: Assault with a deadly weapon (hands and feet), Assault causing serious injury, and possession of marijuana.
On 3/13 at 12:52 a.m., Officer Sathre responded to an alarm sounding at Dr. Hurtado’s Dentist Office at 605 State Street. The front window was smashed with a fist-sized hole. Blood led from the window, down the sidewalk, to the next block, and to a bus bench in the 500 block of State Street. Seated on the bus bench was Jeffrey Shutt, age 22. His T-shirt was wrapped around his left hand, which was soaked through with blood. A large pool of blood had puddled beneath him. Shutt had a deep laceration to the knuckles of his left hand that required stitches. Shutt gave police a false name and claimed breaking the window was accidental. The size and nature of the broken window coupled with the laceration to the knuckles made the incident appear to be the result of vandalism caused by intentional punching. Paramedics arrived, but Shutt became combative and had to be strapped to the gurney. At Cottage Hospital, Shutt urinated in the treatment room and struggled with medical personnel. He refused stitches, but agreed to let medical personal use staples to close the wound. After staples were administered, he then demanded stitches, and began pulling out his staples. He was again restrained until medically cleared for discharge. He was booked at County Jail for vandalism and giving police a false name.
On 3/13 at 1:16 a.m., citizens flagged down police to report a fight out front of the Wildcat nightclub, at 15 W. Ortega Street. Of the two men fighting, Reuben Hasani Jimenez Aguilar, age 22 appeared to be the aggressor. Police tried to break up the two, but Aguilar kept fighting despite police presence. He violently resisted being pulled away and handcuffed. A woman came out of the Wildcat to report that Aguilar had been very aggressive with her inside the club. When she came outside to get away, Aguilar followed before fighting with some other man. Aguilar was booked for disturbing the peace and public intoxication.
On 3/13 at 5:00 a.m., police were called to the 1000 block of Santa Barbara Street on a call of graffiti vandalism in progress. The suspect(s) had fled on foot. As police were checking the area, the reporting citizen reported the suspects just drove away in a Toyota RAV-4. Police caught up to the vehicle at 100 W. Haley Street. The vehicle stopped and the occupants fled, but Officer Gaston caught Austin Gerrard Gibson, age 18. Spray paint cans were found inside the vehicle. Gibson was booked for graffiti vandalism.
On 3/13 at 11:10 p.m., police responded to a call of a suicidal man who reportedly cut himself and then drove away in a white Nissan Altima. Police located the driver, who, despite significant lacerations, refused to yield. After a 3-mile chase, police considered the pursuit too risky and disengaged. Minutes later, the driver was again spotted driving on Cabrillo Blvd, at a very slow speed. Police saw he was now bleeding significantly from his face, and again followed. The Nissan sped up and again would not pull over, so police disengaged a second time. 5 minutes later, the driver was involved in a minor-injury traffic collision at 101 N/B near Garden Street. The driver, Alberto Cardenas, age 26, was admitted to Cottage Hospital. The case was referred to the District Attorney for Evading arrest and DUI pending toxicology.