Photo: Anthony Cuevas
June 1, 2020 – Santa Barbara – A violent confrontation on the night of May 26th took place on a primary thoroughfare in an eastside Santa Barbara commercial district. When Santa Barbara Police Department patrol units rolled up to the scene, they found a stabbing victim bleeding on the sidewalk. The victim was promptly transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment of his wounds.
According to SBPD Public Information Officer Anthony Wagner, the ensuing investigation identified the suspect in the assault as 45-year-old Santa Barbara resident Anthony Cuevas.
Two days of searching for Cuevas lead to patrol units spotting him on the evening of May 27th as he exited his residence and proceeding to ride off into the night on his bicycle. Uniformed officers attempted to make contact with Cuevas “and ordered him to stop.” Ignoring their command, Cuevas attempted to ride away with the cops chasing him on foot.
Moments later, one of the officers brought his K-9 partner into the chase, and “Murdoch” quickly brought Cuevas to a halt and he “immediately surrendered without incident.” Further investigation lead to the discovery of the knife allegedly used in the stabbing attack, “buried in the ground at a nearby location.”
Cuevas was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail and booked on charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
