Santa Barbara County – Just after midnight on May 26th, a Santa Maria area business was the scene of both private security and public law enforcement response to a 911 Emergency call reporting an intruder inside a locked commercial establishment well outside of normal operating hours.
It was at approximately 1:00 a.m. when, according to Santa Maria Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Terry Flaa, “police responded but were unable to find the person” who had been reported to have been “standing in the roadway” outside the commercial location in close proximity to the Santa Maria airport. Police suggested that on-site security personnel contact them should any further disturbance be observed.
Shortly after finding an open door, a broken window, and hearing audible disturbance emanating from within the building, the security staff contacted police once again. Returning to the facility, officers promptly established an armed and secure perimeter and then shouted orders to anyone inside the building to reveal themselves and exit peacefully.
Those entreaties went unanswered repeatedly, but after numerous warnings that anyone failing to exit the building would be subject to armed police intrusion, Isael Vasquez, a 34-year-old Canoga Park resident, stepped out of the darkened building and into the glare of police lights. He was immediately detained and taken into custody without further incident.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Vasquez had indeed been the individual earlier reported to have been in the roadway outside the commercial structure, and that following his forced entry into the premises he had attempted to light a fire in an office area.
Vasquez was arrested and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked on charges of burglary and arson, with his bail set at $50,000.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
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