Photo: John Wise
December 29, 2020 – Santa Barbara County, Ca.
It was nearing the midnight hour on December 26 th when an 18-year-old female Solvang resident called 911 Emergency to report that she was being followed by an unknown male.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Raquel Zick, the alleged victim reported that “a man in a blue Ford pickup truck had attempted to open the passenger door of her car” while she was parked on a residential
street in the City of Solvang. She further reported that she “accelerated away, but the man followed her.”
The woman eventually met with SBSD deputies to describe what had happened to her when she spotted the suspect pickup truck heading toward them. At that point, the pickup truck made a quick U-turn and sped off, whereupon deputies took off in pursuit of
the truck.
The driver of the truck evaded his pursuers by “driving through a park open space, running stop signs and red traffic lights.” Fearing for public safety, deputies called off their vehicular pursuit and notified other area units of the situation. The truck was
spotted by other Sheriff’s Department patrol units shortly thereafter and began a slow pursuit “moving with the flow of traffic.”
As the suspect vehicle turned onto U.S. Highway 101, California Highway Patrol units began the pursuit, reaching speeds “over 100 mph.” An advance roadblock was positioned ahead of the truck, with spike strips eventually bringing the truck to a skidding halt off the roadway.
At that point, the driver of the pickup truck alighted from the vehicle and took off running. By this time, the pursuit involved the deployment of SBSD K-9 unit “Zeke” who soon had 36-year-old Santa Barbara resident John Wise firmly In his grip. Wise was eventually subdued and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on charges of attempted kidnapping, attempted carjacking, evading police, and resisting arrest. He remains in custody at this time on a no-bail hold.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
