Articles Tagged With ‘Santa Barbara County District Attorney’




Santa Barbara County pleads guilty to oil spill offenses

  By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Barbara County’s Water Resources Division pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts related to oil discharges at the Toro Canyon Oil Water Separator. [KCOY] The discharges occurred between Jan. 2018 through July 2021 and in Jan.... (Continue reading)

District attorney finds fatal Santa Maria police shooting justified

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office has ruled a Santa Maria police officer was justified in using deadly force when, at the end of a long standoff last year, he shot and killed a man armed... (Continue reading)

DA says deadly Santa Maria police shooting was justified

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office has concluded that last summer’s fatal shooting of a mentally ill Santa Maria man was a justifiable homicide. A report released by the district attorney’s office states three Santa Maria officers had reasonable... (Continue reading)

Former coach gets probation for disputed act of child molestation

A former Santa Maria youth basketball coach, who was accused of molesting a teenage girl over multiple years, received a five-year probation sentence and was set free from jail on Monday. The alleged victim in the case had recanted her... (Continue reading)

Man charged with murder over crash that killed Nipomo native

A Santa Maria man who crashed in Orcutt after allegedly driving drunk at speeds above 125 mph is facing murder charges. The crash killed two women, one of whom was originally from Nipomo. [KSBY] Around 1:40 a.m. on Feb. 6,... (Continue reading)

Lompoc man of the year facing life in prison for child molestation

A longtime public servant and former Lompoc man of the year is facing life in prison after pleading guilty to 17 counts of child molestation charges. Anthony Michael Durham, 67, is expected to spend the rest of his life in... (Continue reading)

Men accused of murdering Marilyn Pharis to appear in court

The two men accused of sexually assaulting and murdering Santa Maria woman Marilyn Pharis, 64, are due to appear in court this week for preliminary hearings. [KSBY] Last week, Santa Barbara County prosecutors announced they would not pursue the death... (Continue reading)

Santa Maria insurance agent charged with fraud and theft

A Santa Maria insurance agent charged with nine felony counts including embezzlement and grand theft is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday in the Santa Maria Division Courthouse Melissa Grimmesey, 42, a former licensed insurance agent employed as a customer service representative... (Continue reading)

Actress charged with felony DUI for Highway 154 crash

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office has charged soap opera actress Jensen Buchanan with two felony counts of DUI. Prosecutors say Buchanan’s blood alcohol level was .34, more than four times the legal limit, when she crashed head-on into... (Continue reading)

Orcutt mother gets probation for grabbing kids and running to Mexico

An Orcutt mother convicted of child abduction will not have to serve jail times as punishment for her crime. The mother grabbed her two daughters and fled to Mexico after the children’s father was granted visitation rights. Michelle Christin Gibbs... (Continue reading)