Latest news with #SantaBarbaraCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Arrests at unsanctioned Deltopia festival rise for fourth consecutive year
Arrests at Santa Barbara's annual unsanctioned Deltopia street party rose for the fourth straight year this weekend, more than doubling the number of arrests from 2024, authorities said. Isla Vista's weekend-long Deltopia party, which draws thousands of local college students to raucous festivities near the beach, has seen arrests and citations grow each year since 2021, according to stats released by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. This year, 84 people were arrested and 485 people were given citations. In 2024, there were 32 arrests and 254 citations. The year before that there were 23 arrests and 151 citations. While Friday night was fairly calm, the activities of the weekend ramped up on Saturday, according to the sheriff's office. "Saturday saw a significant increase in both crowd size and emergency medical calls, most of which were related to alcohol intoxication," the office said in a statement released Monday. "Deputies and officers coordinated with fire and medical teams, using pre-planned rescue units to respond to calls and clear roads in densely packed areas, ensuring swift access for ambulances. Thankfully, there were no reported fatalities from cliff falls or fentanyl overdoses. There were no injuries to law enforcement officials or uses of force." Read more: Ticket scams, treacherous cliffs: Officials warn of danger at 'Deltopia' spring break rager The most serious arrest last weekend came when officers stopped a group of people on Saturday morning on Marketplace Drive as the group headed toward Deltopia. One of the members of the group was in possession of a loaded gun, the sheriff's office said. Officials also arrested six as part of a monthlong investigation into a conspiracy to violate a festival ordinance. Authorities made the arrest at a house where there was a paid party with tickets sold on a ticketing platform. The sheriff's office did note that no one died this year. There were no fentanyl overdoses and no cliffside falls. In 2023, a junior at UC Santa Barbara died of a fentanyl overdose at the festival and more than a decade ago a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student fell off a cliff and died. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
08-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Arrests at unsanctioned Deltopia festival rise for fourth consecutive year
Arrests at Santa Barbara's annual unsanctioned Deltopia street party rose for the fourth straight year this weekend, more than doubling the number of arrests from 2024, authorities said. Isla Vista's weekend-long Deltopia party, which draws thousands of local college students to raucous festivities near the beach, has seen arrests and citations grow each year since 2021, according to stats released by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. This year, 84 people were arrested and 485 people were given citations. In 2024, there were 32 arrests and 254 citations. The year before that there were 23 arrests and 151 citations. While Friday night was fairly calm, the activities of the weekend ramped up on Saturday, according to the sheriff's office. 'Saturday saw a significant increase in both crowd size and emergency medical calls, most of which were related to alcohol intoxication,' the office said in a statement released Monday. 'Deputies and officers coordinated with fire and medical teams, using pre-planned rescue units to respond to calls and clear roads in densely packed areas, ensuring swift access for ambulances. Thankfully, there were no reported fatalities from cliff falls or fentanyl overdoses. There were no injuries to law enforcement officials or uses of force.' The most serious arrest last weekend came when officers stopped a group of people on Saturday morning on Marketplace Drive as the group headed toward Deltopia. One of the members of the group was in possession of a loaded gun, the sheriff's office said. Officials also arrested six as part of a monthlong investigation into a conspiracy to violate a festival ordinance. Authorities made the arrest at a house where there was a paid party with tickets sold on a ticketing platform. The sheriff's office did note that no one died this year. There were no fentanyl overdoses and no cliffside falls. In 2023, a junior at UC Santa Barbara died of a fentanyl overdose at the festival and more than a decade ago a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student fell off a cliff and died.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Dramatic increase in arrests, citations at popular ‘Deltopia' party in Southern California
A popular, unsanctioned spring break party known as 'Deltopia' near UC Santa Barbara ended in hundreds of citations and over twice the number of arrests from last year. This annual bluffside street party, which takes place on Del Playa Drive in Isla Vista, a community adjacent to the university, typically brings out thousands of people and regularly leads to medical calls, arrests and citations. Officials announced Monday that over the weekend, law enforcement saw larger-than-usual crowds, issued 485 citations and made 84 arrests – not including five DUI arrests, all of which involved underage drinkers aged 18 to 20. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said, for context, that there were 256 citations and 32 arrests in 2024, and 151 citations and 23 arrests in 2023. This year's Deltopia event kicked off on Friday, April 4, a night which the sheriff's office described as 'relatively calm,' with a total of 20 citations and one arrest made. 'However,' the sheriff's office detailed in a release, 'Saturday saw a significant increase in both crowd size and emergency medical calls, most of which were related to alcohol intoxication.' Officials recorded at least 19 medical emergencies before noon on Saturday. The first two arrests on Saturday happened around 9:20 a.m. for obstruction and contributing alcohol to a minor. As of 3:30 p.m., the sheriff's office said over 60 arrests had been made. Among the total 84 arrests made this year, the sheriff's office noted that at least one person was arrested on firearm charges, and six were arrested as a result of a longer investigation. The weapons violation arrest happened around 11 a.m. on Saturday when deputies approached a group of people along Marketplace Drive on their way to Deltopia. The deputies found that a member of this group was carrying a loaded gun and placed the suspect under arrest. Nearly 20 minutes later, deputies served a warrant and arrested another six suspects that were uncovered by a month-long investigation into a conspiracy to violate the festival ordinance. The six suspects, arrested in the 6600 block of Del Playa, allegedly sold tickets through what officials only described as a 'ticketing platform' to throw a paid party, which violates county ordinance. 'Thankfully, there were no reported fatalities from cliff falls or fentanyl overdoses,' stated the sheriff's office. The release added that there were no injuries to law enforcement officials or uses of force. 'Our team, made up of nearly 300 deputies and officers from 8 law enforcement agencies, worked tirelessly to maintain public safety and respond quickly to medical emergencies,' said Lieutenant Schmidt, manager of the Isla Vista Foot Patrol Station. 'With the larger-than-usual crowds, our officers did an excellent job keeping up and ensuring the safety of the community.' Deltopia began nearly two decades ago on the beaches of Isla Vista when it was originally referred to as 'Floatopia, and partygoers would gather on the beaches and in rafts and innertubes off the coast. However, several years later, county officials began cracking down on the event due to littering, damage to public beaches and concerns from neighbors. The massive gathering reached its darkest point in 2014 when riots broke out, and dozens of the 20,000-plus attendees, both students and out-of-towners, were arrested or cited. In the years since, authorities have attempted to proactively curb the number of medical calls and arrests made through parking restrictions and educational campaigns to keep the party 'local.' In the sheriff's office release, Lieutenant Schmidt also praised the residents on the ocean side of Del Playa, saying, 'We want to thank those who refrained from hosting parties on overloaded balconies. Your cooperation played a key role in keeping Isla Vista safe.' Travis Schlepp contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Deltopia near UC Santa Barbara happening this weekend
The Brief The "Deltopia" event is not sanctioned, and no permits have been issued. The unsanctioned event is held every year, typically the first weekend after UCSB spring break. Beaches in Isla Vista will be completely closed from 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Monday. SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Authorities in Santa Barbara County are issuing safety tips and warnings ahead of the annual unsanctioned street festival, Deltopia, happening this weekend in Isla Vista. What we know The massive block party held every year on the first weekend back from spring break for UCSB and SBCC students is scheduled to occur Friday, April 4 to Sunday, April 7 adjacent to the UC Santa Barbara campus. "Deltopia is known for attracting large crowds to the Isla Vista area, impacting residents and first responders," a statement from the sheriff's department read. In response, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office and Santa Barbara County Fire Department issued a joint press release doubling down on safety measures and precautions to keep everyone safe. Authorities noted the dangerous bluffs dotting Isla Vista's coastline where "falls occur nearly every year, sometimes with tragic results." "Stay behind all fencing or railings near the edge to avoid injury. The bluffs are not a safe place to stand or gather," officials said. "Residential decks are intended for single-family use and not generally designed to hold large groups. Overcrowding can lead to dangerous structural collapses that cause severe injuries or even fatalities," the sheriff's department said. Residential units or decks found to be overcrowded will be evacuated by law enforcement. Additionally, overcrowding may result in citations. Authorities are also reminding partygoers to call 911 immediately if you see someone overdosing. "Under the Good Samaritan Law, if you observe a person experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose, and you're sober, intoxicated, or under the influence at the time you call for aid, you and that person face no liability," the sheriff's department said. "This law was created to encourage bystanders to assist in emergencies and is one of the community's most powerful tools during Deltopia weekend." The backstory In 2024, sheriff's deputies and partner agencies made 32 misdemeanor arrests and issued 256 citations across the weekend, the office said in a press release. Those numbers are significantly higher than last year when 23 arrests were made and 151 citations were issued. Thirteen citations were issued for illegal parties. Authorities noted there were no fatalities from cliff falls or fentanyl overdoses. The Source Information for this story is from a joint press release issued by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department on April 2, 2025.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Ticket scams, treacherous cliffs: Officials warn of danger at 'Deltopia' spring break rager
As the end of spring break nears, officials brace for the return of Deltopia — Santa Barbara County's massive unsanctioned street party, where thousands of college students flood Isla Vista for a raucous weekend of revelry that typically culminates in chaos and arrests. Deltopia's dangers are manifold and include steep coastal bluffs, drug overdoses, excessive drinking and outbreaks of violence, according to a warning issued by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. In 2023, a UC Santa Barbara junior died of a fentanyl overdose at Deltopia, and in 2013 a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student tumbled off a cliff to her death. Now, the Sheriff's Office is warning of a new risk at this weekend's upcoming festival: ticket scams targeting college students. Local ordinances do not allow entry fees at any events within the Deltopia footprint, and the Sheriff's Office says it intends on shutting down any parties that violate this rule. But to make matters worse, the department also has identified several fraudulent online event listings, where scammers are advertising fake parties at the homes of unsuspecting residents. The Sheriff's Office says it is working to track down those responsible for the phony events and will be monitoring the advertised locations throughout the weekend. In another effort to deter bad behavior, the department will be suspending, throughout the course of the festivities, a diversion program that allows for certain citations to be dismissed by attending a class and completing community service. This means all citations issued this weekend will be addressed through the court process, and violations that are sustained will go on students' permanent records. Last year, law enforcement agencies issued 256 citations and made 32 arrests during Deltopia. This marks a significant uptick from the 151 citations and 23 arrests in 2023 and and an even bigger jump from 2022, when 34 people were cited and four were arrested. Read more: Santa Barbara County tried to shut down Deltopia parties. Crowds and arrests at Isla Vista spiked anyway In 2024, officials shut down 13 illegal parties on rooftops and bluffs due to noise ordinance violations and because tickets were being charged, according to reporting from the Santa Barbara Independent. There were also two reports of sexual assaults and one DUI arrest made after an adult driver collided into the car in front of him while in line at a DUI checkpoint, the local paper reported. Fortunately, there were no fatal overdoses reported in 2024, which marked one year from the death of 21-year-old Jude Quirinale. Quirinale overdosed on a fentanyl-laced pill he took at a Deltopia party, according to a GoFundMe post by his family. He was resuscitated by emergency services and transported to a local hospital where he was on life support for a couple of days before being taken off the respirator, according to the post. As the notorious weekend approaches, officials remind party-goers of California's Good Samaritan law, which exempts anyone who seeks help for someone overdosing from punishment for drug possession or being under the influence. "This law was created to encourage bystanders to assist in emergencies and is one of the community's most powerful tools during Deltopia weekend," said the Sheriff's Office in a statement. As an additional safety precaution, the beaches in Isla Vista will be closed from 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Monday, the county of Santa Barbara announced. The county said the closure is intended to prevent a reoccurrence of the "destructive and dangerous conditions" that resulted from the 2009 Floatopia fiasco, where more than 12,000 party-goers swarmed the beach and left behind massive piles of trash. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
