Man arrested for hate crime, assault on an officer in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- A man was arrested for hate crimes and assault on an officer on Tuesday afternoon.

At around 3:30 p.m., Santa Barbara police responded to the reports of a harassment on the 900 block of State Street.

Police officers responded to the scene and made contact with a family visiting the area.

They told officers that they were walking along State Street when a man approached them and verbally assaulted them. The family includes two children.

They fled the scene out of fear that the suspect would physically harm them but the suspect followed them northbound on State Street.

The family was later able to get away near the intersection of State Street and Canon Perdido Street.

Police began an investigation and identified the suspect as a 57-year-old transient man.

They found that he was yelling slurs at the family based on their clothing and perceived nationality. He then began focusing his assault on one of the kids.

Witnesses and the family provided information in the investigation.

The suspect was then located and was placed under arrest.

During the arrest, the suspect battered an officer.

The officer was not injured from the battering.

The suspect was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for hate crime threats and battery on an officer.

He has a bail of $10,000.