A large amount of narcotics, cash and a firearm left behind when a customer checked out of a motel led to the arrest of two Santa Maria residents on Wednesday.
Santa Maria police were called at 11:43 a.m. to a motel in the 200 block of South Nicholson Avenue, where they saw a suspect flee in a vehicle.
Lt. Mark Norling said officers were summoned after customers checked out of the hotel, but left behind a large quantity of a controlled substance, cash and a firearm.
“As officers were arriving on scene, they learned the suspects had returned to the hotel and attempted to break into the room,” Norlling said. “An officer saw the suspects fleeing the area in a vehicle.”
Other officers followed the vehicle, conducted a traffic stop, and took the suspects into custody without incident, but reportedly at gunpoint.
During the investigation, police seized approximately one-quarter pound of suspected methamphetamine, a large sum of money, and a firearm that had been reported stolen.
Flavio Delabra, 41, of Santa Maria was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for alleged weapons and narcotics violations, police said.
Dawn Karen Bischoff, 52, of Santa Maria was cited for suspicion of possessing methamphetamine and later released, police added.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.