Santa Barbara police arrest woman for domestic dispute, hit and run, assault with a deadly weapon, DUI

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara police arrested a woman Friday evening after she rammed a parked car with her vehicle multiple times, tried to run over officers and assaulted officers physically while being arrested.

The incident occurred around 6:40 p.m. Officers responded to the 400 block of De La Vina Street in Santa Barbara regarding a call from a resident who witnessed a hit and run.

Witnesses told police they saw a green Subaru ram into a parked vehicle with one victim inside multiple times before fleeing the scene.

Officers contacted the victim at the scene and learned they had a previous relationship with the driver of the Subaru.

As officers were taking a statement, the Subaru driven by the suspect returned to the scene and sped straight toward officers.

Police said they had to quickly step out of the way to avoid being hit by the Subaru. Officers then told the driver to stop, but said she only gestured at police with her middle finger before making a right turn onto West Gutierrez Street, traveling in the wrong direction on the one-way street.

Police said they were able to stop the suspect with their patrol vehicles on State Street before the car progressed further into the promenade area.

Once she was stopped, officers moved in and arrested the driver, later identified as 32-year-old Alexi Kirchner. Officers located multiple empty cans of beer in the passenger area of Kirchner's Subaru.

Police said that Kirchner became very combative while in the back seat of the patrol car and began kicking the doors and windows. When officers stopped and opened the rear door, Kirchner reportedly kicked several officers and spat on one officer's face and N95 mask.

Police ultimately placed Kirchner into a WRAP restraining device and she was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail without further incident.