Sheriff’s K9 Team Apprehends Jail Escapee

Update by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office
July 6, 2022
An inmate has been returned to custody after a brief escape that ended with a K9 apprehension. On Tuesday, July 6, 2022, at approximately 6:50 p.m., 26-year-old Nicholas Erickson of Santa Barbara escaped from the Santa Barbara County Main Jail. Erickson had originally been booked on Saturday, June 18, 2022, by the Santa Barbara Police Department for charges including burglary (felony), vandalism (felony), vehicle theft (felony), loitering (misdemeanor), obstruction (misdemeanor), grand theft (felony), and committing a crime while released on bail (felony) as well as several outstanding warrants for theft and elder abuse charges. His original bail was $150,000.
Custody deputies immediately locked down the Main Jail and notified patrol of the escape. Sheriff’s deputies, including two K9 teams, responded to the area and began searching within minutes. Deputies set up a perimeter area and requested a response from County Air Support to assist with the search. County Air Support responded to the area with Air 50, a Cessna 206 airplane, and coordinated the search with deputies on the ground. While they were searching, a resident in the 4600-block of Sierra Madre reported seeing a suspicious subject in the area.
As deputies closed in on the area, Air 50 tracked Erickson as he worked his way through brush towards Oak Glen Drive. Sheriff’s Deputy Phillip Farley and his K9 Odin encountered Erickson who feigned surrender and failed to comply with verbal commands before attempting to flee towards Oak Glen Drive. Deputy Farley deployed K9 Odin who tumbled down a hill and fell from an 8–10-foot drop onto a sidewalk before apprehending Erickson in the 4500-block of Oak Glen Drive. Erickson was re-arrested at 8:20 p.m. and received medical attention for minor injuries sustained during his escape attempt as well as the K9 apprehension. K9 Odin was treated at an area veterinary hospital for a leg injury and is expected to recover.
Erickson was re-booked at the Main Jail with additional charges of escape (felony), obstruction (misdemeanor), and harming a police dog (misdemeanor). He is being held on $200,000 bail. Custody staff are conducting a thorough and ongoing internal investigation into this escape. The method of escape and details that compromise jail security are not available for release.
Suspect Arrested After Escaping County Jail
By Scanner Andrew
8:09 p.m., July 5, 2022
A suspect was caught and arrested in the 4500 block of Oak Glen Drive after escaping from the county jail.
24 Comments
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Jul 05, 2022 08:09 PMAir 50 is overhead, the plane
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Jul 05, 2022 08:13 PMNot sure what the initial call was, but units have a perimeter set up around the area from Turnpike to Camino Del Remedio. Requesting a unit to Camino Del Remedio & Cathedral Oaks for perimeter
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Jul 05, 2022 08:13 PMCHP unit to Turnpike for perimeter
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Jul 05, 2022 08:14 PMUnits eyeing the area of Sierra Madre Road and Alto Drive, possible suspect there
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Jul 05, 2022 08:18 PMPossible suspect running onto Oak Glen Drive, more units heading that way
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Jul 05, 2022 08:18 PMK9 dog released
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Jul 05, 2022 08:19 PMDog has the suspect
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Jul 05, 2022 08:19 PM2 units on scene with the suspect
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Jul 05, 2022 08:20 PMFire/medics requested, injury to the leg (from the dog I assume)
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Jul 05, 2022 08:20 PMDeputies confirming that it is the suspect. Suspect in custody
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Jul 05, 2022 08:20 PMLooking for escapee from County main jail. Just got him, under arrest near Sierra Madre.
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Jul 05, 2022 08:21 PMCorrection; suspect in custody on Oak Glen.
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Jul 05, 2022 08:21 PMYes, heard the Cessna (1850R) circling and came here to see what it's about. Heard a siren just now too.
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Jul 05, 2022 08:25 PMSuspect got bitten by a K-9. Too bad, dog gets an extra treat.
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Jul 05, 2022 08:31 PMHe’s lucky he didn't get a beat down too.
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Jul 05, 2022 08:33 PMThank you so much ScannerAndrew! Scary living near the jail these days.
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Jul 05, 2022 09:00 PMI know it happens……. But doesn’t this seem to be a recurring thing lately?
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Jul 06, 2022 09:23 AMWould love to know how he escaped.
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Jul 06, 2022 10:31 AMLooked like they apprehended the suspect at 4500 oak glen
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Jul 06, 2022 12:03 PMWondering why the residents did not not get alerted that their was a inmate on the loose
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Jul 07, 2022 06:40 AMHave a very close to the main jail, and it frustrates me that I have never been notified of any of the escapes from the jail in 27 years.
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Jul 07, 2022 07:35 AMSorry to hear that
We should at least get a auto text message
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Jul 07, 2022 06:41 AMSpeech to text error: I live very close...
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Jul 07, 2022 09:11 AMI remember maybe 15 years ago on July 4th, a similar situation occurred and they sent up helicopter(s) to search for the "escapee". Copters must have been in the air for a couple hours making all kinds of racket in the neighborhoods. Once they recaptured the escapee, information came out that he didn't escape but was released by accident. His crime? Driving on a suspended license.
I've always wondered how much that cost the county tax payers.