A Los Angeles man has been arrested and booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on five counts related to a crime spree on Halloween.
Scott J. Manser, 32, is a suspect in a triple hit-and-run collision in the area of North Milpas and East Anapamu streets.
The incident occurred around noon on Oct. 31 when Manser is suspected of driving a silver Land Rover SUV over a curb and into the front of residential properties, according to Marylinda Arroyo, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The vehicle sustained major damage and was abandoned several minutes later as the suspect fled the area to East De La Guerra and North Milpas streets.
About 3 p.m. that same day, several residents called in a suspect who was verbally harassing people on East Beach, according to Arroyo.
Minutes after the call, a suspect physically attacked a citizen, took their hat, and grabbed and ripped an American flag that was attached to the victim’s vehicle.
This event was captured on video by citizens and sent to Santa Barbara police to identify the attacker. After an assistance request was sent to the public and media, multiple residents called in to identify the suspect as Manser, Arroyo said.
Manser voluntarily came to the police department with his attorney on Friday morning to turn himself in.
He was arrested and booked into the county jail on three counts of misdemeanor hit-and-run, one count of felony theft from a person and one count of felony battery.
— Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at jmartinez-pogue@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
