Goleta

Airplane makes beach crash landing

An airplane crash landed near El Capitan State Beach around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to Santa Barbara County Fire officials.

Two people onboard suffered minor injuries, though the extent wasn't immediately known. At least one person was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

The Cessna 172 was on its way back to Santa Barbara Airport, officials said, when the aircraft began experiencing engine trouble. Authorities were notified that the pilot would try to make an emergency landing at Haskell's Beach, several miles west of Santa Barbara Airport. Firefighters eventually found the wreckage 2 miles east of El Capitan.

The plane flipped over and came to rest upside down in the surf and was heavily damaged, according to a spokesman from the Federal Aviation Administration.

---

Advertisement

San Luis Obispo

Brush fire caused by electric wire

A 15-acre brush fire, which was sparked by an over-

energized power line Wednesday, took approximately two hours for firefighters to contain.

The blaze began at 10:52 a.m. and burned in an area behind General Hospital, off Johnson Avenue just outside the San Luis Obispo city limits. The fire caused $2,500 in damage to a fence, according to a Cal Fire spokesman.

Six engines from Cal Fire, three engines from the city of San Luis Obispo Fire Department, one bulldozer, two air tankers, an air attack plane and two handcrews fought the fire.

An investigation is currently underway to determine if PG&E will be billed for firefighting costs due to their power lines, the spokesperson said.

V

San Luis Obispo County

Surgeon implicated in death turns self in

A transplant surgeon accused of hastening a disabled man's death so he could harvest the man's organs turned himself over to County Jail on Tuesday.

Dr. Hootan Roozrokh, 33, posted $10,000 after being booked at the jail and was ordered to appear on Aug. 14 in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court for his arraignment, according to jail staff.

On Monday, the District Attorney's Office charged Roozrokh with three felony counts in the death of 26-year-old Ruben Navarro, who died at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center on Feb. 4, 2006.

Roozrokh has been charged with one count of dependent adult abuse for prescribing excessive amounts of morphine and Ativan and administering Betadine into Navarro's stomach.

The surgeon has also been charged with one count of administering a harmful substance - Betadine - to a human being knowing that it would cause injury and one count of administering unlawful controlled substance prescriptions, morphine and Ativan, that weren't used for a legitimate medical purpose.

It's against state law for transplant doctors to direct treatment of potential organ donors until they are declared dead.

If convicted of the felonies, Roozrokh faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison and $20,000 in fines.

---

Santa Maria

Former finance director dies at 77

Robert S. “Bob” Hossli, a man who guided Santa Maria's finances for more than two decades, died Saturday at Marian Medical Center. He was 77.

Hossli, who is remembered by former coworkers as an insightful and deliberate man, was responsible for the city's conversion to a computerized records system in 1971 as well as the architect of the city's reserve funds.

Hossli first served as finance director from 1963 to 1966 when he left to take a job with Daly City in the Bay Area. However, in 1970 then-City Manager Robert Grogan convinced Hossli to return to Santa Maria and share his budgeting expertise.

Hossli then served as Santa Maria finance director from March 1970 until he retired in December 1994.

Donations in Hossli's name may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2024 De La Vina St., Santa Barbara, 93105 or to the United Parkinson's Foundation, 360 West Superior St., Chicago, IL 60610.

---

Santa Maria

Applications sought for committee seat

The city of Santa Maria is accepting applications for a vacancy on the Landmark Committee to fill an unexpired term ending in January 2009.

The five-member committee advises the City Council on preservation and designation of local historical landmarks. Applicants must be city residents.

Members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. The committee meets the second Tuesday of every month.

Applications, which are due by 5 p.m. Aug. 22, are available at the city clerk's office, 110 E. Cook St., room 3 or by calling 925-0951, Ext. 305.

---

Santa Maria

Gang members arrested in robbery

Four known gang members were arrested after allegedly robbing two men in the west part of town Tuesday night.

Lucio Vasquez, 25, of Santa Maria told officers he was robbed by the four individuals in the 500 block of North Russell Avenue around 9:45 p.m., said Sgt. Greg Carroll, of the Santa Maria Police Department.

While investigating the robbery, officers were approached by Alfredo Lopez, 23, also of Santa Maria, who said he was also robbed at Western Avenue and Church Street earlier that night, Carroll said.

Both men said the four suspects battered them and took cash - Vasquez said a suspect used a knife. Carroll didn't say whether Vasquez or Lopez were hurt.

About 10 minutes later, police found a suspect in the 1000 block of West Hermosa Drive. Officers also found three other suspects at a home in the 1000 block of West Alvin Avenue.

Three of the suspects were juveniles, whose names were withheld due to departmental policy. The fourth suspect, Masy Morales, 18, of Santa Maria, was booked at the County jail in lieu of bail at $50,000.

---

Santa Maria

Blood drive scheduled for Aug. 9

The public is invited to join Santa Maria city and Santa Barbara County staff members in a blood drive Aug. 9 near 516 S. McClelland St.

The United Blood Services Bloodmobile is scheduled to be parked in front of the Paul Nelson Aquatic Center from noon to 5 p.m.

To sign up to donate call Santa Maria Management Analyst Mark van de Kamp at 925-0951, Ext. 372.

---

Santa Maria

How agile is your four-legged friend?

Dog enthusiasts might want to check out the Santa Maria Kennel Club's dog agility trials from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road.

Organizers are expecting 85 dogs and their handlers to compete on one of two agility courses, which involve the dogs leaping hurdles, running through tunnels, climbing A-frames and overcoming other obstacles as their trainers run alongside.

“Anyone who's ever seen it on TV might want to come out and take a look,” said Dave Swinson, vice president of the Santa Maria Kennel Club. “This is a trial for all levels of competition - novice, open, and excellent.”

The first trial begins sharply at 9 a.m. Saturday, he said.

For more information, call Swinson at 606-4268 or 606-4472 during the day or at 934-1645 in the evenings.

---

Lompoc

Councilman in intensive care

City Councilman Mike Siminski remained in the intensive care unit Wednesday at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with an undetermined illness, according to his wife.

Diane Siminski said doctors have not ruled out pneumonia but said it might be “four or five” days before they can pinpoint the problem.

Siminski, a veteran council member, fell ill Friday after returning from a meeting in Sacramento. He was treated at Lompoc Hospital and later transferred to Cottage.

Doctors have asked that Siminski receive no visitors. Diane Siminski, in a telephone conversation from the hospital Wednesday, asked that friends and well-wishers not call the family.

She said the family asks for the community's prayers for her husband. “It's very, very serious,” she said.

Siminski was re-elected in November to his fifth four-year term on the Lompoc City Council.

- From staff reports