Police-radio scanners provide a unique window into the world of law enforcement and public safety, and that certainly was the case Tuesday night during a high-speed chase that started in Montecito and ended more than an hour later in Santa Ynez.
The pursuit, which wound throughout the South Coast and reached speeds up to 90 mph, began after a Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop in Montecito on the driver of a silver Toyota Tacoma pickup without headlights, according to Sgt. Mark Williams.
The chase ended with the arrest of 38-year-old Allen Rappuhn, who is accused of speeding and disobeying traffic signs.
Under such circumstances, both officers and dispatchers must maintain their cool and professionalism, despite often chaotic circumstances.
Click the player below to hear the scanner account of Tuesday night’s incident. The recording has been edited down to eliminate gaps and unrelated radio traffic.
The recording starts about midway through the chase, and ends at the Chumash Casino Resort, where Rappuhn was arrested after his vehicle was disabled by a CHP spike strip.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.








