A 47-year-old man was arrested Friday after Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies say he assaulted and threatened a woman near a homeless encampment along Highway 101 in Montecito.
Deputies say they responded around 8 p.m. Thursday, September 3, to the area of southbound Highway 101 and the Sheffield Drive on-ramp following a 911 call reporting that a woman was being threatened and that someone had attempted to set her on fire.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the victim had been at a nearby encampment with her boyfriend, Jason Tucker, when an argument escalated.
Tucker allegedly swung a large wooden stake at her head and threatened her.
The woman got away and called 911. Deputies say Tucker followed her, threatened to kill her, and poured Tiki torch lighter fluid on her, causing her to fear for her life.
Deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and California State Parks personnel searched the steep, rugged terrain around Ortega Hill but initially could not find Tucker.
Around 3 a.m. on Friday, deputies returned to the encampment and located him. He surrendered and was arrested.
Tucker was booked into the Santa Barbara County Main Jail on felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon, assault involving a flammable substance, criminal threats, and attempting to prevent a victim or witness from reporting a crime.
He is being held on $100,000 bail. The victim received medical attention at the scene.
