Tagger arrested

About 4:39 a.m. Friday, officers were informed that someone was spray-painting the walls of Foodland, 1501 San Andres St. Kyle Archer, 19, was found near the rear of building.

Officers also found what appeared to be fresh graffiti on a wall of Foodland. Upon approaching the suspect, officers saw him place his left hand to the front of his shorts. Officers retrieved a white spray-paint can from the front of the suspect’s shorts. Officers also noticed he had white, silver and green paint on his fingertips. Several areas of the business had been tagged with those colors.

Archer was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of vandalism.

Dispute over money leads to assault

About 12:40 a.m. Sunday, officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Punta Gorda Street after receiving a call about an assault.

Officers found the adult male victim being treated by medics for a large laceration to the center of his head. The victim said he had been employed by suspect Phillip Thomas, 48, for the previous five days. The victim said Thomas had not paid him for the work he had done.

The victim also said that minutes before the assault, he ran into Thomas near Voluntario and Punta Gorda streets. Thomas was in his vehicle. They began to talk about the money owed to the victim. Thomas exited his vehicle, and the victim turned his back to Thomas momentarily. The victim says Thomas struck him on his head with a metal bar. The victim was able to flee to his home on the 1100 of Punta Gorda Street and called 911.

Officers talked with a witness, who lives in the same home as the victim. The witness said Thomas had been at the home earlier looking for the victim. Thomas demanded to speak to the victim and the return of uniforms. Thomas was seen holding a red metal bar with a black handle. 

Officers searched the area and found Thomas and his vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a metal bar suspected of being used in the assault. Thomas was arrested and booked at Santa Barbara County Jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Taxi driver reports stabbing

Shortly after 10:30 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital on a call of a taxi driver en route to the hospital with a stabbing victim and two female relatives of the victim.

One of the women said she had last seen the victim, 16, at the home about 10 p.m. Officers spoke to the victim at the hospital.

The victim said he left his home to go for a walk. He was walking near his home when he noticed a male walking toward him. The victim described the male as about 19 years old, normal build, short hair and wearing dark clothing. As soon as the suspect passed the victim, he was stabbed in the back.

The victim next heard the suspect yell out a gang name. The victim then ran toward his home and said he was briefly chased by the suspect. As the victim approached his home, he ran into his relatives, who called for a taxi. The investigation is continuing and it is considered gang related.

Lorenzo Duarte is a sergeant with the Santa Barbara Police Department.