Suspected Drunk Driver Crashes after Evading Deputies

Goleta - April 20th, 2010

A Santa Barbara man is in the County Jail on felony charges after eluding Sheriff’s deputies and crashing his car in Goleta Monday evening.

On Monday, April 19, 2010, at about 5:45 p.m., Sheriff's Dispatch received calls of a suspected DUI driver leaving the parking lot of Vons Supermarket at Fairview Center, Goleta.

A deputy on patrol in the area located the vehicle described by callers.  After observing the vehicle drive through a stop sign controlled intersection at San Marcos Road and Via Los Santos, the deputy initiated a traffic stop. The driver sped away and refused to stop for the deputy.

The driver, later identified as 52-year old Santa Barbara resident Todd Alan Bushey (DOB 3/30/58), led deputies through residential neighborhoods and then onto Cathedral Oaks, while at times, reaching a high rate of speed.

Mr. Bushey ended the 3.8 mile pursuit when he drove his Camaro into the rear of an unoccupied vehicle that was parked along the curb of Cathedral Oaks, West of Carlo Drive.  The parked vehicle was pushed about fifty feet from where its owner left it parked. The pursuit lasted less than five minutes.

Mr. Bushey suffered minor injuries in the collision and was transported to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital for evaluation and treatment.  Once he was discharged from the hospital, deputies booked Mr. Bushey into the Santa Barbara County Jail for Felony Evading, DUI, and driving on a suspended license. His bail is set at $75,000.

For more information regarding news related issues
please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.

Business Hours: (805) 681-4100
EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org