Four Officers Injured Arresting Hate Crime Battery Suspect

Update by Santa Barbara Police Department
January 21, 2022

On January 20, 2022, around 4:50pm, the Santa Barbara Police Combined Communications Center received a report of a battery in progress occurring in the 500 block of Bath Street. Officers arrived on scene and observed the suspect actively battering the 64-year-old male victim.

An SBPD K-9 Officer verbally ordered the suspect to cease the attack. The suspect looked at the Officer and fled northbound running into an apartment complex. The victim informed the K-9 Officer the suspect had potentially robbed him of his cellular phone. Multiple other Officers arrived on scene and established a perimeter around the complex. A Motorcycle Officer was able to locate the suspect on a second story balcony of the apartment complex.

The suspect, later identified as Carlos Undabahena, a 21-year-old Santa Maria resident, failed to obey multiple Officer’s commands to surrender and fled into an apartment that had its front door open. Officers pursued Undabahena into the residence for a moment where he attempted to punch and actively fight multiple Officers. One of the Officers was struck in the face by Undabahena and a foam, non-lethal projectile was deployed striking him in the leg having little effect. The K-9 Officer then deployed his police dog, biting Undabahena. Undabahena was able to break free from the police dog and attempted to flee again. Officers gave chase and after a brief foot pursuit Undabahena was taken into custody.

During the incident, Undabahena managed to injure a total of three Officers and one Sergeant. All the Officers were treated for some form of minor – moderate injuries. One was treated at Cottage Hospital Emergency Room. Undabahena sustained minor injuries and refused all forms of medical treatment. The victim sustained minor injuries and sought his own medical treatment.

Once Undabahena was in custody, Officers learned from the victim that he was making multiple homophobic threats and statements while attacking.

Undabahena was arrested and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail for Violence Against an Officer (felony), Battery Causing Injury to an Officer (felony), Resisting Arrest (misdemeanor), Hate Crime (misdemeanor), and Battery (misdemeanor). Undabahena also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He is being held on $50,000 bail. 


Reported by Scanner Andrew
5:13 p.m., January 20, 2022

An assault occurred in the 500 block of Bath Street resulting in a major police response

SBPDPIO

Written by SBPDPIO

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16 Comments

  1. i cam upon this yesterday on my way home. One of the officers is a good friend of mine. Story is, younger guy, mentally impaired at the time, attacked a few locals hanging out on the wall having a cigarette. the attackees are fine, defended themselves. It was a pretty big police presence. A lot of witnesses.

  2. And noozhawk reported it was 30k! Wonder if that’s still posted.
    “According to the Sheriff’s Office custody records, Undabahena was being held on $30,000 bail as of Friday. ”
    https://www.noozhawk.com/article/santa_barbara_police_arrest_hate_crime_battery
    It may, of course, be edited by the time you read it. One of these two sources is incorrect. I was shocked to read how low the bail was and I’m liberal supporter of bail reform.
    Zerohawk, no neighborhood talk of what crap the attacker was talking?

  3. I see a number of police haters out here who still think cops should be downgraded (“defund the police!!”). Give it up. Go ahead and try to jump in and deal with such a situation if you want to.
    I didn’t think so.
    If you’re sour because you think your tax dollars are being wasted you’re right, but it’s not coming from law enforcement. It’s the local government ‘sitting in a chair beauracracy’ that’s doing that.

  4. We have seen what ‘defund the police’ means over the last year. It means less money for law enforcement, it means releasing criminals back onto the street early, and it means an incredibly high increase in crime nation wide.

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