On Aug. 21, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) says its Coastal Division Investigative Services Unit received information regarding a wanted felony suspect, 19-year-old Watsonville resident Diego Tostado Galvan, who was believed to be armed and traveling through the Central Coast on Highway 101.
With assistance from the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team (SCCACT), the Santa Cruz Auto Theft Reduction and Enforcement Team (SCARE), and the Coastal Division K9 Unit, investigators reportedly began efforts to locate the suspect.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., investigators say they located Galvan and his associate, 19-year-old Castro Valley resident Jeremiah Samuel Caldwell, at a bus station in Santa Barbara.
Both subjects were safely detained without incident, according to the CHP.
At the time of arrest, authorities say both were found to be in possession of loaded semi-automatic handguns equipped with extended magazines.
CHP says a search of their luggage also revealed five additional firearms, including an assault rifle.
After the arrest, deputies from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Special Investigation Bureau subsequently served a search warrant at an Isla Vista apartment, where they located an additional semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine.
During this search, officials say 20-year-old Oakland resident Hamlet Daniel Solis was taken into custody.
Follow-up search warrants were later executed in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and Alameda Counties, resulting in the recovery of an additional firearm, according to the CHP.
Authorities say several agencies assisted with the investigation, including the Watsonville Police Department, the Gilroy Police Department, the Morgan Hill Police Department, the Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force, the Santa Clara County Gun Violence Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
“This case is an excellent example of the power of partnerships between law enforcement agencies,” said Captain Zivic, Commander of CHP Special Services Unit, in a press release. “By working together, we were able to safely apprehend armed suspects and remove multiple illegal firearms from our streets, preventing potential violence in our communities. I am proud of the professionalism and dedication shown by our investigators, allied agencies, and K9 teams.”
