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After a short standoff with Santa Barbara County Sheriff deputies, a Buellton man was taken into custody and booked for resisting arrest, child endangerment and a stolen vehicle warrant. Mitchell Medina, 34, of Buellton was contacted by Sheriff deputies after a warrant was issued from Mercer County in Missouri for a stolen vehicle. 

Mitchell Medina
Photo contributed

The stolen vehicle was a maroon Chevrolet truck, which was located in the suspect’s driveway in the 400 block of Farmland Drive. Deputies called out to Medina over their PA system, asking him to step out of the residence, according to Sheriff’s officials.

“Medina opened the front door and spoke with the deputies momentarily before he ran back inside and closed the door. Sergeant Woodill talked with Medina through the front window while Medina paced the living room. At one point, Medina picked up his young child and continued pacing with the child in his arms as he refused to be taken into custody,” said Raquel Zick, public information officer, in a statement. 

Zick added that deputies continued to talk with Medina, additional resources including a K9 unit, the Hostage Negotiation Team, and the Special Enforcement Team began responding.

Sergeant Woodill convinced Medina to come out of the residence by reassuring him that his child would be cared for if he agreed to surrender. Medina eventually walked out the front door, handed his child to Sergeant Woodill, and was taken into custody. Child Welfare Services responded and took Medina’s child into their care. The stolen vehicle was towed and Medina was transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked. Medina’s local charges are $0 bail due to Emergency Rule 4. He remains in custody on the Missouri warrant while extradition is arranged. 

The post Buellton man arrested for alleged vehicle theft appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The incident started just after midnight on Tuesday in the 500 block of Farmland Drive, when a domestic dispute escalated to the suspect making threatening statements he would set his house on fire.

“His spouse was able to flee and get help from deputies.  An emergency notification was sent to neighbors instructing them to shelter in place,” said Kelly Hoover, public information officer.

The sheriff’s special enforcement team and hostage negotiation team responded and determined the suspect had filled his house with natural gas. The deputies spent hours on scene trying to contact the the subject and resolve situation peacefully and to ensure the safety of the community.

They started with flash bangs at 4:30 a.m., then used tear gas at 5:30 a.m. to lure him out. Just before 6 a.m. the suspect came out of the house after apparently shooting himself in the chest.

He was transported to the hospital and when cleared he will be booked on charges of making criminal threats and attempted arson, according to Hoover.

Santa Barbara county public safety dispatch center sent out another alert just after 6 this morning lifting the shelter in place advisement.

The post Buellton man in custody after standoff with deputies appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.