Buellton
Lompoc man booked on suspicion of DUI
A Lompoc man is accused of drunken driving while his juvenile daughter was in the vehicle with him.
José Arturo Barbosa, 30, was booked with driving under influence and child endangerment.
It is unclear whether Barbosa is still in jail or what his bail is, as a representative from the Santa Barbara County jail said he had no record of Barbosa at the jail.
On Wednesday at 10:22 p.m., Barbosa was stopped for speeding on the 600 block of Highway 246 in Buellton.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, Barbosa was drinking beer while driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, and his blood alcohol level was more than .2 percent - well above the legal limit of .08 percent.
Barbosa's minor daughter was in the car at the time, the Sheriff's Department said.
Santa Maria
Sulfur dioxide sends two to hospital
Two people were treated at Marian Medical Center for lung irritation Thursday after a 150-pound cylinder containing sulfur dioxide burst for undetermined reasons at Central Coast Gases in the 400 block of West Betteravia Road in Santa Maria.
The cylinder released all of the product instantly, said Santa Maria Fire Department Batallion Chief Dan Orr. No one was injured due to the explosion, he said.
Sulfur dioxide is a respiratory irritant, he said, and like many gases can be lethal in a high enough concentration.
The breeze pushed the gas to nearby businesses, but also also spread it out and diluted its potency, Orr said.
“It's to the point now where it's pretty stagnant,” he said around 11:30 a.m..
Orr said he thought employees of Central Coast Gases were OK, but that workers at Santa Maria Diesel Service Inc. were affected.
In addition to the two people taken to the hospital, Orr estimated another half dozen people complained of symptoms from the gas.
Santa Barbara
Identity of man killed in collision released
The name of the man killed in an accident Sunday at Old San Marcos Road and Highway 154 was released Thursday by the California Highway Patrol.
Gary Richard Martin, 47, of Goleta died after suffering major injuries in the four-car crash that shut down the two-lane highway for several hours.
Martin may have been under the influence of alcohol when he drove a 1990 Buick into the eastbound lane, collided with two other cars and caused subsequent damage to a passing vehicle, according to CHP officials.
Howard Kegeles, 57, of Oxnard and Larry Winnen, 61, of Nipomo suffered minor to moderate injuries. Eric Hovanec, 41, of Pasadena, whose vehicle was struck by debris from the initial collision, was not injured.
A post-mortem toxicology exam will reveal whether CHP suspicion of alcohol is true.
Casmalia
Man rescued after vehicle accident
Santa Barbara County firefighters used ropes to rescue a man trapped 30 feet down the hill from the road after a single-vehicle accident Thursday on Lompoc-Casmalia Road between Point Sal Road and Casmalia.
The man, who suffered minor injuries, was pulled to safety at about 12:30 p.m..
The victim was taken to Marian Medical Center for treatment, fire officials said.
Santa Maria
Another Concert in the Park set for Sunday
The second of six concerts in the Concerts in the Park series will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Rotary Centennial Park, 2625 S. College. The event is free of charge.
“Still Evolving,” described as “an eclectic repertoire of classic rock, modern pop and original tunes,” will be playing.
Upcoming Concerts in the Park performers include Jump Drive on July 6, Soulamente on July 20, Louie Ortega on Aug. 10 and Birdie on Aug. 31.
For more information, contact the Recreation and Parks Department at 925-0951.
Santa Barbara County
Measure A to be on November ballot
Board members of the countywide Association of Governments unanimously gave their final approval Thursday for sales-tax Measure A to be placed on the November ballot.
If passed by at least two-thirds of voters, Measure A would raise about $1 billion over 30 years for road repairs, freeway projects, bus systems and alternative transportation.
It would renew an existing, half-percent sales tax originally approved by county voters as Measure D in 1989, which is due to expire in March 2010.
Measure A has also been endorsed by city councils for each of the eight cities in Santa Barbara County and by the county Board of Supervisors. The supervisors next month are set to formally place it on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Some community groups are already opposing the measure, though, including
Fix101.org and Cars are Basic.
“The 30-year life of Measure A is too long,” said Gregory Gandrud, a candidate for state Assembly and board member of Fix101.0rg. “A better alternative, we think, would be a half-cent tax for 10 years.”
- From staff reports
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