Santa Barbara man arrested for stalking women in Isla Vista

ISLA VISTA, Calif. - A Santa Barbara man was arrested for stalking several women in the Isla Vista area over the past three months.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said a special duty sheriff's deputy began investigating the stalking incidents on Monday and identified the suspect as a 25-year-old Santa Barbara man.

Investigators say the man sent threatening and unwanted messages to the women and contacted them in person.

Then on Tuesday around 7:45 p.m., one of the women spotted the man sitting on a public bench along Del Playa and called 911.

Deputies arrived at the scene and arrested the man on suspicion of stalking and hate crimes.

He was booked in the Santa Barbara County Main Jail on $300,000 bail.