– by F. Scott Faulkner
SANTA BARBARA, CA — January 22, 2026 — Santa Barbara police arrested a 20-year-old Santa Barbara man at approximately 9:15 p.m. on January 21st after officers responded to reports of two separate vehicle collisions on the city’s Westside, including one that left a person injured.
According to SBPD spokesman Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, officers were first dispatched to a reported two-vehicle crash “with possible injuries” at a downtown intersection. One person was hurt and later taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment.
While officers were still at the first collision scene, they were flagged down by a member of the public who reported “a second crash with injuries” at another downtown intersection. The driver involved in that collision, “believed to be operating a gray Hyundai Elantra,” had left before officers arrived.
Investigators later located a suspect identified as Jhonathan Duran-Carrasco, 20, of Santa Barbara. He “was showing signs of being under the influence of alcohol and a DUI investigation was conducted,” according to Ragsdale.
Officers arrested Duran-Carrasco on suspicion of felony DUI, felony hit-and-run and committing a felony while out on bail. The person injured in the second collision was treated at the scene.
Duran-Carrasco was transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked and his bail set at $100,000.
