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On November 23, 2023, at approximately 8:38 a.m., Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 Emergency call reporting a drive-by shooting incident.
According to SBSD Public Information Officer Raquel Zick, “the incident involved two individuals from Santa Maria” eventually identified as 37-year-old Alejandro Maldonado and 31-year-old Edgar Bribiesca-Puga.
Following the reported shooting, as deputies responded to the reported scene, the suspects hastily departed the scene in a vehicle, prompting deputies to pursue them “in a brief pursuit.” An attempt to initiate a traffic stop was met with evasion by the driver, who promptly crashed into a high-curb sidewalk. Maldonado and Bribiesca-Puga then attempted to flee on foot but were promptly apprehended by deputies.
Upon inspecting the suspects' vehicle, deputies uncovered stolen items including a recently-fired firearm described as “an un-serialized .40 caliber ghost gun.”
Maldonado and Bribiesca-Puga were transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where they were booked on charges of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, conspiracy, grand theft, burglary, and misdemeanor charges including obstruction, possession of a controlled substance, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools.
Maldonado faces additional felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon , allowing a firearm to be discharged from a vehicle, evading, and driving the wrong way while evading. Found to be in violation of probation, Maldonado is currently held without bail.
Bribiesca-Puga was booked on additional felony charges, including shooting at a person from a vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public, felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of an un-serialized firearm. He is presently held on $1,000,000 bail.
