Full Notification

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Friday, July 6, 2018

During an ongoing investigation, SBPD Detectives learned that Ronald Contreras, age 33, was involved in an altercation on June 21, 2018 at a residence in the 1500 block of Anacapa Street.

During the altercation, Contreras confronted an acquaintance and accused him of being “disrespectful” for talking to Contreras’ girlfriend. Without provocation, Contreras removed a knife from his pocket and swung it towards the victim in an attempt to stab him. The victim grabbed Contreras in a “bear hug” in an attempt to thwart the attack and prevent further assault.

Contreras was able to maneuver his armed hand from the victim’s grasp and stabbed the acquaintance multiple times in the back. In a lull, the victim retrieved a nearby ax handle to gain an upper hand.
The acquaintance wrongly inferred a stalemate, put the wooden ax handle down and attempted to walk away. Contreras quickly armed one hand with the wooden ax handle and the other with the knife and commenced to rob the associate of cash. Contreras then fled.

While the victim was nursing his wounds, Contreras returned minutes later with an unidentified male subject. In a fit of rage, Contreras threw a brick through the bedroom window and attempted to re-enter the home but was thwarted by the victim. Contreras continued to stalk the outside of the home alleging he had a gun. When the victim shouted he called the police, the two males fled on foot.

On July 5th, Detectives surveilled an eatery on the 800 block of N. Milpas Street in which Contreras, his domestic partner and infant-child sat to eat. Detectives then descended and apprehended Contreras without incident. A weapon similar to the one Contreras allegedly used in the earlier attack was found on his person.

Contreras was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for multiple felonies including robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, making terrorist threats and brandishing a weapon. This compounds Contreras’ prior serious and violent criminal history.