Santa Maria police officers arrest man for assault with a firearm
December 30, 2025
By KAREN VELIE
Santa Maria police officers arrested an assault suspect on Monday, who is also facing multiple weapons related charges, police said.
Shortly after 7 p.m. on Sunday, a caller reported an assault with a firearm on the 400 block of W. McElhaney Avenue. Officers arrived to find the suspect, 48-year-old Joel Blanchard, had fled prior to their arrival.
On Monday at 5:30 p.m., officers spotted Blanchard driving and then stopped him.
During a search of his vehicle, officers found multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle and high-capacity magazines.
A subsequent search of Blanchard’s residence, resulted in the seizure of additional firearms, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and body armor.
Officers booked Blanchard into Santa Barbara County Jail on multiple weapons-related charges.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines