Safety Concerns After State Street DUI Crash

It was another beautiful morning in downtown Santa Barbara, but the relaxed feel was a far cry from what had taken place just hours earlier, when a suspected DUI driver refused to pull over. He then drove down State St. before crashing his SUV into two palm trees.

Sgt. Eric Martinez said that the suspect “turned down State St and the officers did not engage him in a chase. However he then crashed his car into the trees.”

The suspect was arrested after the crash, however his name has not yet been released by the CHP, who were immediately on-scene and able to manage the potentially dangerous situation.

David Surgomez, an eyewitness to the crash, said “I think the Police handled it well. They were there immediately to make sure everything was OK.”

The crash raised concerns about the safety of State St. on weekends when people are more likely to be drinking. One eye witness believes improvements need to be taken for protection.

“I think they should but up barriers to protect people, especially for the people sitting on benches.”

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