Stolen Vehicle and Suspect Found in Avocado Orchard

Updated by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department

At approximately 7:45 p.m. [Friday] night, September 15, 2017, a Sheriff’s deputy assigned to the City of Carpinteria was on active patrol in the area of Casitas Plaza when his LoJack detected a reported stolen vehicle in the area. Dispatch confirmed that the LoJack had hit on a stolen 1999 Honda out of the City of Santa Barbara. Additional deputies quickly responded to assist. 

Approximately two minutes later, another deputy who was in the area of Bailard Avenue and Via Real, advised his LoJack was detecting the same stolen vehicle in the area. Deputies responded and located the vehicle driving on Bailard Avenue. When deputies attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver refused to yield and drove northbound on Highway 101. Sheriff’s deputies pursued the vehicle which turned north on Casitas Pass.

The driver stopped his vehicle on a private driveway in the 5800 block of Casitas Pass and ran from deputies on foot into an avocado orchard. Deputies then set up a perimeter of the orchard. A Santa Barbara County Sheriff/Fire Air Support Unit helicopter and two Sheriff’s K-9 teams responded to assist. One of the K-9 teams, Deputy O’Neil and Magnum, tracked the suspect and found him hiding under an avocado tree. 

The suspect was identified as being 27-year-old Jose Jeraldo Ramos of Oxnard. He was arrested and booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing an emergency vehicle, resisting a peace officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of burglary tools. Ramos was also booked on his Ventura County felony no bail warrant.

The stolen vehicle was returned to its owner who came to the scene.

Reported by Roger the Scanner Guy
7:54 p.m., September 15, 2017

Possible stolen vehicle from Santa Barbara on Lojak near Casitas Pass area.