Santa Maria

Man killed in Oct. 21 collision identified

A Greenfield man killed in a collision Oct. 21 east of Santa Maria has been identified as Mark Franklin Swift, 22, said Drew Sugars, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.

The severity of the injuries suffered by Swift delayed the confirmation of his identification.

The CHP has said that Swift smashed his pickup into the back of a farm tractor on Stowell Road, east of Rosemary Road, sending both vehicles careening about 300 feet, and culminating in a fiery crash that took his life.

The tractor driver, 39-year-old Isidro Membreno Nunez of Santa Maria, was thrown from the seat and was pulled from the burning tractor by coworkers, the CHP said.

He was being treated at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, but an update on his condition was not available Thursday.

CHP Officer Rob Wallace said Thursday there were no new developments to report on the crash investigation.

San Luis Obispo County

Landscape equipment stolen

Over the last two weeks, several landscape-maintenance equipment thefts have taken place overnight in rural Nipomo, Oceano and Arroyo Grande, said Rob Bryn, spokesman for the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department.

Equipment including lawn mowers, blowers and chainsaws has been stolen from trailers parked at private homes and commercial yards, Bryn said.

He encouraged landscape-maintenance practitioners to help prevent theft by taking such measures as upgrading locks, parking in well lit areas and backing trailers against a solid wall.

Bryn also urged neighbors of landscape-maintenance workers to look out for suspicious activity.

Anyone who is a victim of such theft should not disturb the scene and should call sheriff's deputies immediately, he said.

Vandenberg AFB

Smoke from burn seen in Santa Maria

A prescribed burn at Vandenberg Air Force Base put up a huge head of smoke visible from the Santa Maria Valley on Thursday afternoon.

Base officials announced that the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron's Fire Protection Flight would conduct two separate burns, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Nov. 13.

The Grant Burn consists of 303 acres north of San Antonio Road West and east of the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course.

The objective of the burn is to provide data for managing the impact on local and regional air quality during a burn.

The Airfield Burn consists of 395 acres northwest of the airfield runway.

The objective of that burn is to eliminate invasive plant species such as pampas grass and other vegetation from the airfield to properly maintain the required 1,000-foot centerline clearance.

Santa Maria

Man in wheelchair stabbed Thursday

An elderly man in a motorized wheelchair was stabbed in the chest and robbed just before 1 p.m. Thursday near the 900 block of McClelland Street, according to the Santa Maria police.

Police have asked that anyone with information regarding the crime contact law enforcement because the suspect, described by police as a Hispanic male from 18 to 20 years of age, fled on foot and is still at-large.

Martin Midgen, 83, of Santa Maria was listed in stable condition at Marian Medical Center Thursday after being struck with "a sharp object," police reported.

Midgen told police he was approached by the suspect while traveling on McClelland Street near McElhany Avenue. The victim denied having any money, and then was stabbed in the chest and robbed of his cash.

The suspect left on foot with a Hispanic female, police said.

Those with additional information are urged to call Crime Stoppers at (877) 800-9100.

Arroyo Grande

Carjacking suspect still at large

Law enforcement is asking for the public's help in locating a Grover Beach resident they believe stole a car Wednesday night while attempting to kidnap a woman near Cal Poly.

Police are searching for Ryan Joseph Soqui, 23, of Grover Beach, who is considered armed and dangerous. He is described as a white male with brown hair and brown eyes.

Soqui allegedly approached 23-year-old Yi Tak Choi who was driving a 2000 Audi A6 near the Cal Poly campus just before 9 p.m., asked her for directions, opened an unlocked passenger door and got into the car, according to police.

Once inside the car, Soqui told Choi to drive and asked for her cell phone and purse as he allegedly produced a small handgun. Choi was able to flee when Soqui told to her to withdraw money at a San Luis Obispo ATM machine, police said.

Grover Beach police officers and sheriff's deputies spotted the stolen vehicle around

10:15 p.m. in the 700 block of Elm Street in Arroyo Grande.

When officers attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, Soqui sped away and jumped an embankment in front of a residence in the area of Dixson Street and Oak Park Boulevard, police said.

After crashing the vehicle, Soqui and his male passenger both attempted to flee the Audi. Police detained the passenger, but Soqui was able to get out of the car and escape on foot.

He ran toward the

400 block of Golden West Place, moving from yard to yard while officers pursued him, and was last seen near a vacant residence at the end of the cul-de-sac, police said.

Believing Soqui was possibly armed with a handgun and hiding in the vacant house, a perimeter was established around the home and officers unsuccessfully attempted to contact the man.

The SWAT team was also called to the scene because officers couldn't determine if the suspect was hiding in the house and whether he was armed.

After entering the residence around 3:30 a.m., authorities found the home was empty and the suspect wasn't inside, according to police.

The suspect's passenger was released, and police are asking anyone with information about the alleged carjacking or the suspect to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 781-7317 or CrimeStoppers at 549-7867.

Santa Maria

Fight sends one man to hospital

A street fight between two Santa Maria men Thursday in the 1600 block of North Western Avenue ended with one being taken to the hospital and the other to jail, according to Santa Maria police.

At about 1:50 a.m., officers responding to a call of men fighting found Jose Garcia Lopez, 35, lying unconscious in the middle of the street. Juan Lopez Mendoza, 28, allegedly kicked Lopez in the head, police said.

The incident escalated from an argument between the men, who police said are roommates, that became physical and spilled on to the street.

Lopez ran from Mendoza and eventually fell in the street right before Mendoza kicked him. Lopez was taken to Marian Medical Center for treatment. He was later released.

Mendoza was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with great bodily injury.

Santa Maria

LP vinyl records on display at gallery

PA display of artwork on LP vinyl records is scheduled to kickoff Nov. 20 at the Town Center Gallery, 321 Town Center West, the group announced.

Named "Art on Record," a free reception for the exhibit is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Suite B-6 near Big 5. The gallery is looking to move the display to a business or area that would take up 7 square feet of space. Call Hattie Stoddard at 938-0589 or stop by the gallery after Nov. 19 to take a look at the completed show.

- From staff reports