The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is crediting one of its K-9 teams with successfully apprehending a stalking suspect on Saturday.
Deputies were called to the area of Camino de Vida at Turnpike Rd. in Goleta for a report of stalking and reportedly identified the suspect as Carlos Medina, 50, who was on active parole.
Sheriff’s officials say deputies tried to conduct a traffic stop on Medina, but he sped away through a nearby neighborhood, eventually stopping near Calle Morella and Gwyne Ave. and running off on foot.
Officials say Medina was found hiding behind a parked vehicle, but he resisted deputies’ attempts to arrest him so a K-9 team was deployed and Medina was taken into custody.
He reportedly suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital before being booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of stalking, resisting officers, possession of methamphetamine, and recklessly evading officers.
The sheriff’s office has three German Shepherds and a Labrador assigned to its K-9 Unit. The program is funded primarily through donations.
