Santa Maria

Driver, passenger arrested after pursuit

A Santa Maria man led Santa Maria police officers on an approximately eight-minute pursuit through the city late Saturday night and the vehicle he was driving allegedly hit several parked vehicles before he was apprehended and arrested.

Jim Lee Alonzo, 20, was arrested after his vehicle hit a planter in the 1900 block of South Lincoln Street, the Santa Maria police department reported.

Alonzo fled on foot following the 11:39 p.m. incident but was caught a short distance from the scene by the department K-9 unit, according to the report.

During their investigation, officers discovered the vehicle Alonzo was driving had been previously reported to the police department as stolen, according to the report, and Alonzo was found to be on parole. His passenger, a juvenile, had an outstanding probation warrant, and had in his possession a sawed-off shotgun and two knives, according to the report.

Alonzo was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm; possession of stolen property; felony evading; possession of a controlled substance; and street gang enhancement, the police department said.

Advertisement

The juvenile, who was not identified because he is a minor, was booked on possession of stolen property; possession of a firearm; gang enhancement; and the warrant.

Alonzo was booked into the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department substation, and the juvenile into Juvenile Hall, the police department reported.

---

Santa Barbara County

Work continues along Highway 154

Drivers on Highway 154 should expect delays of up to

30 minutes this week as construction continues between Paradise Road and Vista Point west of Cold Spring Canyon Bridge.

New turn lanes are being installed at both locations. The construction is expected to continue until summer 2009 with crews at work daily except weekends and holidays.

Motorists who are not traveling to a destination along Highway 154 are encouraged to use Highway 101 instead.

From 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Wednesday, there will be lane closures with reversing traffic control; the same closures will be effective from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday.

Lanes will remain completely open for the Labor Day holiday weekend on both Friday and Monday, Sept. 1.

Vista Point, the overlook area east of Paradise Road, will remain closed during construction, and some nighttime lane closures will occur to move concrete barriers for project staging.

The improvements are funded through Measure D, Santa Barbara County's half-cent transportation sales tax.

-- From staff reports