David Olivera
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — The City of Santa Maria, largest municipality in the county and just an hour’s drive north of City of Santa Barbara—although they may as well be 1,000 miles apart considering the economic, social, and cultural differences between the two—is in the middle of a raging period of unprecedented street violence.
In just the first month of 2016, no less than six fatal shootings have occurred in the city, all reported to have been the result of toxic intra-gang rivalries. The events of February 5th only serve to confirm local gang faction’s animosities toward one another.
Emmanuel Quintanar
It was just after 10:45 p.m., according to Santa Maria Police Department spokesman Sgt. Daniel Rios, that “patrol and gang-suppression officers were dispatched” to a local area residence pursuant to reports of a gang-related battle in progress.
“Upon arrival, several subjects fled the area,” Rios reported to the media as he detailed the apprehension of five juveniles and three adults immediately thereafter.
While three of the juveniles were determined to have been “confirmed missing persons” as runaways from both Santa Maria and Santa Barbara, the three adults are reputedly known gang members.
Ricardo Flores Rojas
Ricardo Flores Rojas, 22, and David Olivera, 24, were detained long enough for deputies to confirm outstanding warrants on them, while Emmanuel Quintanar, 20, was arrested for trespassing.
All three were transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, while the five juveniles were all booked into Santa Maria Juvenile Hall and charged with trespassing, assaulting a police officer, and felony resisting arrest.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail booking
