Red Cup Chronicles: July 2010

Continuing a tradition performed previously for other publications and Web sites, Isla Vista’s longtime crime-spotter Rebecca Carroll now brings her blotter reporting to independent.com. This is the second collection of incidents, often humorous, sometimes sad, but always slices of I.V.’s unique underbelly.

Ballsy?

After stealing her roommate’s credit card and making several purchases in the Santa Barbara area, an Isla Vista resident was confronted, receipts in hand, by the victim. The victim told authorities she became suspicious after finding a drug store receipt — with her forged signature — on the floor of the shared bedroom.

With nowhere to hide, the suspect, 19, was confronted in her bed at 8:30 a.m., June 26, with deputies standing by.

Facing financial despair since “cut off” by her parents, the subject told authorities she had to do what it would take to make ends meet. Her parents stopped sending her money, she added, ever since she refused to return home to Miami. Cited for larceny and released with a promise to appear in court, the apologetic female told authorities she planned to stay with another “friend” for the time being.

A for Effort

The youthful-looking tourist from Texas didn’t stand a chance when, caught holding an open bottle of Pacifico, he miscalculated his assumed age. Stopped by deputies patrolling a party at a Del Playa Drive apartment complex, the 20-year-old responded when was asked his date of birth:

“October 6, 1989,” he said at first. Then retracted, “I mean, 1988.”

He was ultimately cited for being a minor in possession of alcohol.

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Suffering a “psychotic episode” during a free breakfast at an Isla Vista church recently, a homeless man grabbed a butcher knife threatening to kill the deacon who was washing dishes at the time. The deacon, who quickly exited the kitchen without injury, did not wish to alert authorities when the unstable suspect left, without the knife, voluntarily.

The subject, a known transient, has not been located since his last meal at the Embarcadero Del Mar fellowship.

Lumberjacks on the Loose

A group of unruly men, described as “all wearing flannel shirts,” are wanted for groping and grabbing at a young woman as she walked hand-in-hand with her boyfriend on Del Playa Drive.

Coming to her defense, in his own way, the boyfriend questioned the subjects, “Really?”

With that one lousy comment, the rough-and-ready scallywags pounced on the boyfriend leaving him with a black eye before fleeing the scene.

Well-behaved Women Rarely Make History

A couple of roommates returned to their Picasso Road apartment after a night of partying to find their front door wide open. Inside, they discovered a layer of white powdery foam, or fire retardant, covering household items like the couch and television. But, also inside their previously secured apartment, was a so-called “friend.”

In search of laundry detergent and a bathroom, the friend explained how he climbed through a window to enter the locked apartment. Once inside, he went on, an unknown female burst through the front door armed with a fire extinguisher. Before she could be stopped, the woman unloaded the foam.

Following close behind, a band of women captured their unruly girlfriend. With a promise to return the following morning to help clean the mess, the flock of females left the scene as quickly as they had arrived, with their rowdy sister in tow.

When the wild women failed to return the following day, the apartment dwellers filed an incident report with authorities.

Just Sayin’

Was it the tell-tale scent of burning hashish or the can-turned-smoking apparatus that tipped off deputies patrolling the beach in Isla Vista on a recent afternoon? A failed attempt to hide the altered milk can only made their pastime more obvious as deputies approached the three young men relaxing beachside, just after 2 p.m., July 14.

Based on training and “experience,” the deputy quickly identified the can-cum-pipe questioning the subjects.

A search uncovered a one-gram ball of concentrated cannabis, or hashish. However, a medical marijuana identification card, presented at the scene, did not provide immunity for the “dangerous drug.”

If the Pants Fit

Detained for an alcohol violation on Del Playa Drive, a 20-year-old male was also found in possession of a Xanax pill.

“I don’t know what it is. I have never seen it before,” responded the subject upon the discovery of the greenish-blue rectangle pill found in his front pant pocket.

“I’m not blaming anyone, but my friend did wear my pants earlier,” he added.

The young man was cited for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.

Impaired Judgment

Despite her better judgment, a young woman was nearly run over by a tow truck after passing out in the middle of Abrego Road after dark. Coming to her rescue, medical personnel arrived on the scene at 10 p.m. placing the now awakened, but still woozy, 22-year-old into an ambulance.

Then, despite better judgment again, she signed a waiver against medical advice for her release from the care of the emergency medical team. Caught in a web of help, after leaving the back of the ambulance, she was immediately arrested for public intoxication and, consequently, transported to jail instead.

When One Thing Leads to Another

Concerned for his safety after watching him walk directly into a parked car at 2:23 a.m., July 11, patrolling deputies on Sabado Tarde stopped the subject before he could cause any permanent damage to himself.

Although he could not remember bumping into the car, he did recall drinking a lot of beer earlier in the evening.

And the bulge in his pocket? Deputies uncovered six individually wrapped baggies of marijuana.

The 19-year-old was arrested for public intoxication and marijuana packaged for sales. Also confiscated during his arrest was a “pay-owe” sheet found in his wallet.

Phew!

Fireworks and beer. That is what deputies found inside the backpack belonging to a 17-year-old prowling around Isla Vista after curfew on July 5. Cited for possession of both, the juvenile’s big brother arrived at the scene just before 2 a.m. taking custody of the delinquent. The boy’s parents, away on vacation for the holiday weekend, were not contacted.