He Ran…But Couldn’t Hide
Santa Barbara County – Just after midnight on April 30th, the sleepy streets of Carpinteria on the southern edge of Santa Barbara County came alive when a car parked in front of the local 7-11 Store caught the attention of a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Patrol Unit.
Joseph Rowland
According to SBSD Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, the deputy “noticed a vehicle with paper license plates and a cracked window”, an unusual combination of elements for a recently-purchased car. The deputy observed Joseph Rowland, 22, and Taryn Yankovitch, 28, exit the convenience store and drive away in the curious car, whereupon he attempted to conduct a routine traffic stop.
But Rowland, behind the wheel of the suspect vehicle, “refused to yield,” Hoover said in her statement to the media, “resulting in a short pursuit” that went from quiet city streets to the high-speed southbound lanes of U.S. 101. The vehicle then exited the freeway, came to a sudden stop in downtown Carpinteria, and Rowland and Yankovitch sprinted off into the darkness of a nearby residential area. A “hot search” ensued, with SBSD Deputies supported by K-9 units and officers from the California Highway Patrol scouring the area, residents of which were put on alert to the activity by a “reverse 911 call”.
Taryn Yankovitch
With the suspects making good their escape for the night, Rowland was arrested the following morning in the City of Ventura when Ventura Police Department Patrol Officers responded to a domestic-dispute call. “When they arrived, they observed a male exiting the apartment, and immediately identified him as Rowland”, and after a brief flight attempt Rowland was taken into custody and arrested based upon the events of the prior evening. He was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail and booked on charges of vehicle theft, felony evading, resisting arrest, driving with a suspended license, and possession of stolen property, with his bail set at $25,000.
For her part, Yankovitch remains at large, wanted in connection with the Carpinteria events as well as on a “no bail” warrant for failure to appear in another Ventura County case. Anyone having information regarding the whereabouts of Ms. Yankovitch is encouraged to contact SBSD’s Carpinteria sub-station at (805) 684-5405.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, Ventura County Sheriffs
Read more:
VCStar: Ventura County Man Accused of Theft, Chase
EdHat: Carpinteria Pursuit Arrest
Noozhawk: One of Two Suspects Jailed in Carpinteria Car Theft Case
