Deputies stop kidnapping during traffic stop near Highway 101 and Olive Mill Road

MONTECITO, Calif. – Deputies ended a kidnapping during a traffic stop of an RV traveling with its pop-out sections extended near southbound Highway 101 and Olive Mill Road on Tuesday.

On Nov. 12, around 10:43 p.m., a deputy on patrol near southbound Highway 101 and Olive Mill Road stopped an RV with its pop-out sections still extended while it was in operation stated a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office Thursday.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, the approaching deputy saw an ongoing domestic dispute inside of the vehicle between an adult man, later identified as a 34-year-old Newport Beach man, in the passenger seat and and adult woman in the driver seat.

After an investigation, deputies learned that the Newport Beach man had forced the woman to drive the RV towards Orange County using Highway 154 to the location of the traffic stop explained the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

During the drive, the man threatened the woman with two knives, put his arms around her neck, and fired a handgun out the window and the woman was in fear for her own life as well as the life of her infant who was also in the RV detailed the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies discovered a Glock pistol and a spent 9mm shell casing inside of the vehicle after a search at the scene shared the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The 34-year-old Newport Beach man was arrested and booked at the Santa Barbara Main Jail on felony kidnapping, felony assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, felony discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, felony child cruelty, and felony kidnapping a child stated the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, the man is being held with bail set at $1 million.