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Felony Battery Arrest
updated: Feb 28, 2013, 5:29 PM
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
Michael Keith Dawson, age 39, a local transient originally from Ventura, was arrested for assault with a
deadly weapon and battery resulting in great bodily injury stemming from an incident that occurred on
February 13, 2013.
On February 13, 2013 at 6:05 a.m., officers and detectives from the Santa Barbara Police Department
responded to Plaza Del Mar Park at 23 Castillo Street to investigate a felony battery. While conducting a
premise check of the tennis courts at adjacent Pershing Park, Santa Barbara City College Security
personnel discovered a 49-year old homeless man lying on the grass in Plaza Del Mar Park. The man
had been severely beaten and was in need of medical attention. Investigation indicated that he was the
victim of a felony crime, battery resulting in great bodily injury. The victim is still hospitalized at Santa
Barbara Cottage Hospital with very serious injuries. He is expected to survive.
This case has been actively investigated since it happened. On February 27, 2013 however, a major
break occurred when Officer Tom Eccles, investigating an unrelated misdemeanor battery involving
homeless subjects on 200 W. Montecito Street, learned that a subject named Mike had bragged that he
had beaten a man to death in a park. Officer Eccles was familiar with the incident that had occurred on
February 13th and pursued that investigative lead, ultimately developing Dawson as a suspect in that
case. At 9:15 p.m. Officer Michael Epstein located Dawson in front of 7-Eleven at 331 W. Montecito
Street and detained him. Crimes Against Persons Detectives Charlie Katsapis and Brian Larson
responded to investigate, determined that Dawson was responsible for the February 13th beating, and
arrested him for assault with a deadly weapon and battery resulting in great bodily injury. This
investigation is still ongoing and additional details about the incident are being withheld.
Dawson was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on the aforementioned charges with a bail amount of
$50,000.00.
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