KCOY’s Paula Lopez booked into jail
A well-known local news anchor was arrested Sunday night for allegedly driving under the influence and assaulting an officer.
According to CHP, they received a call around 8 p.m. regarding a vehicle reported to be a silver Toyota Prius heading the wrong way in the northbound lanes on Highway 101 near El Capitan Road in Goleta, north of Santa Barbara.
When CHP officers arrived in the area, along with units from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, they discovered the Prius. It was parked at the Sandpiper Golf Course parking lot on Hollister Avenue and Cathedral Oaks Road off Highway 101.
Investigating officials say Paula Lopez Ochoa, 50, was on the scene being evaluated for a possible involvement in a vehicle vs. pedestrian collision. It was determined on the scene that she was also the driver of the Prius in question. Lopez-Ochoa lives nearby, in a home near San Antonio Canyon Park in northwest Santa Barbara.
According to the CHP, Lopez-Ochoa was under the influence of alcohol, and was arrested on the scene for DUI. The CHP also stated that she may face additional charges for allegedly assaulting a deputy and resisting arrest.
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