Santa Barbara police have arrested a suspect in auto burglaries Thursday in the 100 block of Helena Avenue, who then suffered injuries as he attempted to resist arrest.
About 5:30 p.m., an officer responded to a report of two vehicles with smashed-out windows and stolen contents, according to Sgt. Riley Harwood. Shortly after that call, he said, officers were called to a report of a man with blood on his hands near 320 W. Yanonali St.
Cameron Hadighi, 23, was detained at the train depot at 209 State St. Harwood said a search of the suspect yielded pocket change and a wine bottle opener reported stolen from the vehicles.
Harwood said Hadighi was subdued after allegedly trying to flee as paramedics treated a cut on his hand. He was taken into custody and secured in a police car, but then spit on an officer through the security screen and kicked out the rear window, according to Harwood.
Hadighi was removed from the police car and fully restrained on an ambulance gurney, then transported to the emergency room at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, medically cleared for booking and transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail.
Hadighi was booked on two felony counts of burglary and misdemeanors of resisting or delaying an officer, battery on a peace officer, vandalism and violation of probation.
Harwood said a third auto burglary involving a smashed-out window was reported on the first block of West Cabrillo Boulevard, with blood evidence at the scene. If the evidence matches, he said a request for an additional burglary charge against Hadighi will be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office.
Hadighi was arrested in January on charges related to a string of auto burglaries, and Harwood said he is suspected in connection with as many as 40 auto burglaries in Santa Barbara in the past two months.
— Noozhawk managing editor Michelle Nelson can be reached at mnelson@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
