MONTECITO — Nestled in the foothills above one of the most exclusive residential neighborhoods in the country, The San Ysidro Ranch is steeped in Hollywood legend, California nostalgia and world-class romance.
But that was then and this is now. Today the ranch is center stage for criminal action against a contemporary Hollywood player, actor Randy Quaid.
Quaid is the 59-year-old star of “The Last Detail,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation” and “Independence Day,” just to mention a handful of his 60-plus film roles. Until recently recognized as a likeable character actor, Quaid and his wife Evi have been the subject of criminal prosecution following their June 2008 stay at The San Ysidro Ranch, where they allegedly skipped out on a $10,000 hotel bill.
Randy Quaid
The Quaids were arrested in September 2009 in Marfa, Texas on outstanding warrants from Santa Barbara Superior Court, where they failed to make scheduled appearances. Extradition orders were filed in Santa Barbara, and the Quaids eventually made voluntary appearances, according to Santa Barbara County sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Drew Sugars. Motions for continuance were filed at that time, with further courtroom appearances scheduled for this past Monday.
When the Quaids failed to make their appearance, their attorney Robert Sanger admitted that he had no knowledge of his clients’ whereabouts. A bench warrant for their arrest was immediately issued. Santa Barbara Assistant District Attorney Arnold Tolks, in a prepared statement, indicated that he had little faith in the defendants’ responding to the warrant absent another arrest for failure to appear.
“They don’t talk to me,” commented Tolks. “Their attorney’s representative said they were in contact with him and he indicated they were on the way in … but that didn’t happen.”
At this point in time, Randy and Evi Quaid will ultimately answer to charges of burglary, defrauding an innkeeper, conspiracy and failure to respond to a court order — just as soon as the new arrest warrant is carried out.
