DUI Round Up: 32 Arrests in January 2013
updated: Feb 09, 2013, 2:30 PM

Source: Santa Barbara Police Department

In January 2013 officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department made 32 arrests for driving under the influence violations. Numerous arrests are made each month when concerned citizens call 911 after witnessing possible DUI drivers. The SBPD would like to thank the responsible citizens who take the time to call and report suspected drunk drivers. The following is information on a few of those cases.

1/2/13 at 1:07 a.m.: Jennifer Cathleen Flores (age 28), was driving through the Jack in the Box drive thru at 501 N. Milpas Street when she rear-ended the vehicle in front of hers. Officer Cardana conducted a traffic collision investigation and noticed that Flores was displaying signs of alcohol intoxication. Officer Washington responded and conducted a DUI investigation. Flores informed Officer Washington that she had consumed one "Jack and Coke" and one Modelo beer prior to driving. Officer Washington discovered that Flores had a suspended license and was on probation for DUI, with probation terms stating she was not to operate a motor vehicle with any alcohol in her system. Officer Washington had Flores perform field sobriety tests and determined that she was too intoxicated to safely operate a motor vehicle. Officer Washington arrested Flores for DUI and she chose to provide breath samples which registered her BAC at .15 and .14. Flores was issued a citation for DUI, violation of probation, and being an unlicensed driver.

1/6/13 at 1:21 a.m.: Allan Geoffrey Vargassibaja (age 28) was driving his vehicle northbound on the 4000 block of Calle Real when he collided with the guardrail causing his car to roll over. Vargassibaja, who was bleeding from a head wound, exited his vehicle and walked to his neighbor's house which was nearby. He informed his neighbor that he thought he "might have run someone over" and asked his neighbor to help him push his vehicle out of the roadway. The neighbor returned to the accident scene with Vargassibaja and was helping him push his vehicle as emergency responders arrived. A passing witness who had observed the two called 9-1-1. Several SBPD officers, CHP officers, paramedics and firefighters responded to the scene. Investigation indicated that Vargassibaja was the driver of his vehicle at the time of the accident. Firefighters searched the area with thermal detectors in an effort to find a pedestrian that had been struck, but none was found. Drinking Driver Team Officer Tudor conducted a DUI investigation on Vargassibaja at Cottage Hospital, where he had been taken for treatment of his injury. Vargassibaja acknowledged driving downtown and drinking heavily, but said he did not remember leaving downtown, driving away from there, or being involved in an accident. Officer Tudor arrested Vargassibaja for DUI and obtained a blood sample which registered his BAC at .16. He was issued a citation and admitted into the Sobering Center.

1/11/13 at 5:31 p.m.: Randall Lee Hensley (age 57) was observed driving northbound on Las Positas Road without a front left tire. Witnesses stated they observed Hensley driving approximately 30 mph on a bare rim, swerving and with sparks flying. Witnesses followed Hensley to a local gas station and contacted police. Officer Maudlin and Officer Harrison arrived and contacted Hensley who appeared very intoxicated. Hensley stated that he had not consumed any alcohol and that he had just lost his tire as he pulled into the gas station parking lot. Officer Harrison noticed that the rim of Hensley's wheel was severely damaged and by the gouges in the roadway, it appeared that he had driven a significant distance without a tire. Officer Maudlin conducted a DUI investigation during which Hensley refused to answer many of the questions or to perform any field sobriety tests. Officer Maudlin determined that Hensley was too intoxicated to safely operate a motor vehicle and placed him under arrest. Hensley chose to provide a blood test which registered his BAC a .29. Hensley was booked into County Jail for DUI.

1/12/13 at 5:39 p.m.: Avelino Rojas-Carbajal (age 26) was observed driving erratically by a citizen who followed him and called 9-1-1 to report a possible DUI driver. Officer Du. McGrew and Officer Hedges arrived on scene and contacted the citizen who stated that he had observed the vehicle weaving across several lanes and driving so erratically that he was sure the driver was under the influence. The citizen pointed to a car that was stopped across the street as the DUI vehicle. Officer McGrew and Officer Hedges located Carbajal sitting in the driver seat of the car. When Carbajal saw the officers approaching he quickly exited the vehicle and began walking toward a residence. The officers yelled "Police, stop!" at which time Carbajal started running into an apartment. The officers caught up to Carbajal just as he entered the residence and took control of him, escorting him out into the carport area of the complex. Carbajal started to resist the officers, becoming so aggressive and violent that other officers had to respond code 3 (lights & siren) to assist in subduing Carbajal and taking him into custody. Officer Mcgrew conducted a DUI investigation and determined that Carbajal was too intoxicated to safely operate a motor vehicle. He also determined that Carbajal had a suspended driver's license and was on probation for DUI. Carbajal submitted to a breath test which registered his BAC at .25 and .24. Carbajal was booked into County Jail for DUI, driving on a suspended license, and violation of probation.

1/16/13 at 2:00 p.m.: Todd Allen Gulvin (age 50) was observed by Officer Washington driving his vehicle on the 3700 block of State Street while talking on a hand held cell phone. Officer Washington conducted a traffic stop for that violation and upon contacting Gulvin immediately noticed signs of intoxication. Gulvin was unable to provide his driver's license and told Officer Washington that his name was Todd Allen James. SBPD Dispatch was unable to locate a match in the DMV database which led Officer Washington to believe the Gulvin was providing false information. When questioned about the odor of alcohol emanating from him, Gulvin stated that he had just rinsed his mouth out with mouthwash and that he had not consumed anything alcoholic. Officer Washington nevertheless conducted a DUI investigation during which Gulvin admitted to consuming one beer at approximately 5:00 a.m. Gulvin refused to complete the majority of the field sobriety tests, stating a variety of medical conditions as the reasons. Officer Washington determined that Gulvin was too intoxicated to safely drive a motor vehicle and placed him under arrest for DUI. Gulvin then broke down, stating he had lied about his name due to his having a warrant for his arrest. Officer Washington confirmed that Gulvin did have a $10,000.00 misdemeanor warrant in the system for his arrest as well as a suspended driver's license. Gulvin submitted to a breath test which registered his BAC at .26 and .24. Gulvin was booked into County Jail for DUI, driving on a suspended license, providing false information to a peace officer, and his warrant.

1/19/13 at 1:02 a.m.: Peter John Coffey (age 51) was driving his vehicle westbound on the 200 block of West Haley Street when he collided with a parked vehicle. Officer Du. McGrew and Officer Rosenberg were driving by when they observed the scene moments after the collision. Drinking Driver Team Officer Tudor responded to assist. Officer Tudor contacted Coffey who was standing near his vehicle which was blocking the roadway. Coffey displayed signs of alcohol intoxication and stated that he had consumed five beers prior to driving. Officer Tudor conducted a DUI investigation arrested Coffey for DUI. Coffey chose to submit to a breath test which registered his BAC at .20 and .20. Coffey was issued a citation for DUI and admitted into the Sobering Center.

1/19/13 at 8:26 a.m.: Hilario Nolasco Coronado (age 27) was driving southbound on the 700 block of San Pascual Street when he collided with a parked car which was pushed over the curb and against a tree. Coronado's vehicle continued south where it collided with a curb and crashed into some bushes in a front yard. Officer LaTorre, Officer Hall, and others responded to the collision following an initial report that a vehicle had struck a pedestrian. Several witnesses were contacted however that stated that Coronado narrowly missed hitting a small boy during the incident. Another witness was located who stated that she observed Coronado exit his vehicle and take out several beers and hide them in bushes near his car prior to police arrival. The hidden beers were found as was an additional open beer inside his vehicle. Coronado showed signs of intoxication and a DUI investigation was conducted. Coronado stated that he had consumed 6 beers between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. and then had one more beer just prior to driving. Coronado was arrested for DUI and he chose to submit to a breath test which registered his BAC at .17 and .17. Coronado was also found to be an unlicensed driver. He was booked into County Jail for DUI, possessing an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, being an unlicensed driver, and concealing evidence.

1/20/13 at 12:11 a.m.: Julian Martinez Jr. (age 58) was driving southbound on the 900 block of Miramonte Drive when he collided with two parked vehicles. SBPD officers, paramedics and firefighters responded to several 9-1-1 calls regarding the collision. Officer Tudor arrived on scene and contacted Martinez who admitted to drinking downtown prior to driving. Martinez stated that he drank too much alcohol and that he should not have been driving. Officer Tudor conducted a DUI investigation and subsequently arrested Martinez for DUI. Martinez chose to submit to a breath test which registered his BAC at .21 and .21. Martinez was transported to the Sobering Center and issued a citation for DUI; however he refused to sign it and thereby promise to appear in court at a later date. Consequently, Martinez was booked into County Jail.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 372645	2013-02-09 03:29 PM
Interesting google on a few of these drunks.
COMMENT 372647	2013-02-09 03:53 PM
Fascinating how every single one is an inveterate and bad liar.
COMMENT 372649P	2013-02-09 04:01 PM
i'm so confused. i've gotten drunk many times, yet i've never felt compelled to risk my freedom or the safety of innocent citizens by driving somewhere while inebriated. why do these people do this to themselves?
COMMENT 372671	2013-02-09 05:32 PM
2648... yet. Your time will come and when it does you may wish you weren't so cavalier. Invincible, you're not.
COMMENT 372707P	2013-02-09 07:09 PM
I cannot believe the stupidity of these drivers!! NO TIRE?! (I also can't resist the lure of language: "Officer Maudlin" wow. I've imagined changing my name when I see some names made public. ("schmuck" means jewelry in German? If it was my name, I I'd change)
ROGER DODGER	2013-02-09 07:18 PM
So many and yet so many more...Good Work.
COMMENT 372748	2013-02-09 08:49 PM
Question: Why is that so many of the arrests made locally are posted on Ed Hat, even the local paper, with name and photo... BUT none of the names or photos of the local DUI's are posted? Given the severity and potential threat to life and limb, I would hope that it would be posted for all to see.
COMMENT 372749	2013-02-09 08:50 PM
32 arrests in a month with 31 days. There are 135 people employeed by SBPD. With all that manpower they only manage to bust 1 person per day for DUI.
COMMENT 372820	2013-02-10 10:01 AM
Still so many drunks. All these scare tactics seem to be doing is scaring someone like me who wants to have one glass of wine with dinner, then walk about, then drive home 2 hours later. There must be some better plan.
COMMENT 372858P	2013-02-10 12:32 PM
@749, with all that manpower? Are you talking about our local police department? I have it on good authority that they have 10 less officers than they did in 2001. I went on a ride-along on a Saturday and noticed they had about 7 officers to run the entire city all day. Manpower... The SBPD is doing a great job with what little they have.
COMMENT 372968	2013-02-10 05:40 PM
According to the city's website the police department has 135 employees.
COMMENT 372977P	2013-02-10 06:38 PM
858P: 7 officers for the entire city? Not likely - where were the others? There are approx. 140 officers in the SBPD. Maybe there are fewer than in 2001; but the city population has declined sliglhtly, about 1,200, according to the 2010 census.
COMMENT 373060	2013-02-11 07:48 AM
Did you notice none of these arrests have anything to do with those DUI checkpoints? They should change the name to unlicensed/uninsured driver checkpoints as that's who they catch with those ones.
COMMENT 373171P	2013-02-11 09:57 AM
060 - because the checkpoints are a waste of money and manpower
COMMENT 373669P	2013-02-12 10:35 AM
7 cops for the whole city during a shift? With the total number of cops on the force, that just sounds like poor management of resources.

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