Marine Arrested for Felony Assault
February 9 – Santa Barbara
Tyler Zamora Lopez, 23, was arrested in the early morning hours of February 5th following a high-risk traffic stop pursuant to a positive identification made by a witness to a physical attack that left a victim in critical condition and suffering a brain injury.
The witness, a companion of the victim, described a white Lexus vehicle departing the scene of the attack with multiple occupants inside the car. According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, “Officer Eric Rosenberg responded to the Santa Barbara News-Press parking lot and found an unconscious victim”. Harwood further detailed the victim as “convulsing” as a result of injuries later determined to be a broken nose, skull fracture, and brain hemorrhage.
While Officer Rosenberg summoned paramedics to the scene, SBPD Officer Corbett, acting upon the reporting witness’ information, performed a traffic stop just blocks away and detained the four occupants of the suspect vehicle. At that time the witness was brought to the scene of the traffic stop and identified Lopez as the attacker. Lopez, a flight equipment technician with the U.S. Marine Corps, was arrested on charges of felony battery resulting in great bodily injury, and was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $50,000.
The driver of the vehicle, Nicolas Ramirez, 31, was found to be under the influence, and in possession of a small quantity of marijuana, for which he was cited.
Following his release from Cottage Hospital, the victim of the attack—initially unable to make any statement to police investigators—was interviewed by SBPD Detective Katsapis and has provided detectives with evidence further implicating Lopez as his assailant. According to Harwood, “the victim and his companion had just left the James Joyce bar and were walking toward their car when words were exchanged” with Lopez and the others in the Lexus.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking; SBPD
Read More:
ksby.com: Santa Barbara Police: Man arrested for beating victim until he was seizing
keyt.com: Suspect Arrested For Brutal Attack On Man
Noozhawk: Santa Barbara Man Suffers brain Injury in Attack Outside City Hall
