Andrew Mario Calzada
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — The late night January 5th arrests of Andrew Mario Calzada, a 21-year-old Santa Barbara resident and his passenger, 18-year-old Goleta resident Estella Varella prove once again the wisdom defensive driving on area roadways close to the midnight hour.
That seems to be a popular time of day for miscreants to attempt to flee law enforcement by driving recklessly and with wanton disregard for public safety.
Estella Varella
Such was the case at 11:00 p.m. that night when, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, patrol deputies spotted “a white Toyota Camry that had been reported stolen” and attempted to make a traffic stop of the vehicle, driven by Calzada, who summarily gunned the accelerator and took off at a high rate of speed.
The Toyota raced southbound on U.S. 101 hitting speeds of 95 mph, fleeing through the city of Santa Barbara, ultimately reversing course in Carpinteria and heading north on the freeway.
At this point, SBSD Air Units and units of the California Highway Patrol had joined the chase, following the Toyota as it crossed back through Santa Barbara, exiting the freeway in Goleta and racing through a popular commercial district where it was eventually brought to a halt by pursuing CHP vehicles via a “PIT” maneuver.
At that point, Calzada was extracted from the Toyota and arrested on multiple charges including “auto theft, possession of stolen property, disobeying a police officer, driving under the influence, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.”
For her part, Varela was arrested on charges of auto theft, possession of stolen property, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Both were transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where Calzada’s bail was set at $75,000, while Varela’s was set at $25,000.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
