Santa Barbara man arrested after using his car to hit someone he had argued with earlier

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A 22-year-old Santa Barbara man was arrested after allegedly using his vehicle to hit a person at the Milpas Street Speedway after they had argued earlier that evening.

On Feb. 2, around 6:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a reported felony battery in the parking lot of the Speedway Express at 231 Milpas Street where they determined that a 22-year-old Santa Barbara man had intentionally used his vehicle to hit the victim stated a press release from the Santa Barbara Police Department.

According to Santa Barbara Police, the 22-year-old and the victim had an argument earlier that evening.

The victim suffered minor injuries as a result of the collision and declined medical attention at the scene added the Santa Barbara Police Department.

After further investigation, officers secured a warrant for the 22-year-old's arrest for assault with a deadly weapon and he was arrested on Feb. 4, 2026, around 6 p.m. in a Chevron parking lot on Coast Village Road noted the Santa Barbara Police Department.

A search of the vehicle which was the same one involved in the earlier assault at the Speedway, officers found a non-serialized pistol, a 100-round magazine loaded onto the pistol, three additional high-capacity magazines containing a total of 150 rounds, a bulletproof vest, and a "significant quantity of suspected cocaine" detailed the Santa Barbara Police Department.

The 22-year-old is prohibited from possessing firearms added the Santa Barbara Police Department.

He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on multiple felonies and his bail has been set at $500,000 shared the Santa Barbara Police Department.