A domestic violence suspect attempted to evade law enforcement on Saturday afternoon. It didn’t work.
According to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a domestic violence incident in the vicinity of Bacara Resort near Goleta around 1 p.m.
The suspect, 47-year-old Michael Reardon, fled the area when deputies arrived and started a pursuit on foot.
Reardon jumped into the ocean and swam away from deputies, authorities stated.
“After the suspect continued for a length of time to evade deputies by swimming in the water, deputies became concerned for his safety due to the temperature of the water,” the press release stated.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Swiftwater Rescue Team was deployed around 2:30 p.m. The team located the suspect in the ocean off Haskell’s Beach and brought him to safety.
Reardon was arrested for criminal threats, violating a protective order and evading a peace officer. He was displaying signs of hypothermia and was transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation. Once he is released, he will be booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail.
