Tag: Santa Maria Police Department

Brian Hook Facing Multiple Felonies for Having Sex with Underaged Minor

The Orcutt Resident is a Social Sciences Teacher and Girl’s Basketball Coach

by Jae Brattain | posted 02.25.2014

Detectives from the Santa Maria Police Department investigated Brian Thomas Hook after there were accusation that he had multiple inappropriate relations with a student at Pioneer Valley High School.  The first incident took place around January 14th.  There was also a second occurrence, which happened around February 13th.  The name of the alleged victim was not, and likely will not, be released because she is only 16-years old.

Brian Thomas Hook

Authorities from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District contacted local law enforcement on February 19th.  They had been alerted of the sexual encounters by Pioneer Valley High staff members.  Brian Hook, who is 53-years old, was said to have committed several sexual assaults against one of the students over a 4-month period.

The next day, police obtained a search warrant and went to Hook’s home.  They also investigated other locations related to the crime, but the specific areas were not identified.  Once they served the warrant, Hook was taken into custody and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail.

At the time of his incarceration, he was being charged with oral copulation, unlawful intercourse, and penetration of a foreign object.  Each of the charges have to do with a minor and all are felony level.  His bail bond was set at $100,000.

Pioneer Valley girls basketball coach Brian Hook talks to his team during a timeout against St. Joseph on Jan. 15, 2014.

 

As a certificated teacher and coach, Hook was in a position of authority.  Due to the fact that investigation is still in progress, not many details have come to light.  District authorities have only indicated that they are working with law enforcement.  Police are urging that anyone with information about this case contact their detective bureau.  The detective in charge is Sgt. Paul Van Meel.

According to Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley, the defendant will be facing four felony charges total for his sexual encounter with the minor.  He will be going to court in the Santa Maria Cook division of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court.

DUI Arrests Slightly Lower than Last Year in Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara Law Enforcement Arrest Over 150 People During the Holidays

By Jae Brattain | Published 01.06.2014

Local authorities placed a heavy emphasis on arresting drivers who were under the influence of alcohol and drugs during the holiday period.  Agencies throughout the County of Santa Barbara were on high alert for a period of 20-days from mid-December to New Year’s Day.  There were 151 people arrested in total according to provisional estimates.  This compared to 154 apprehended last year during the same time.  Some agencies have not reported their arrest totals yet.

Several checkpoints were setup in conjunction with a major uptick in patrol presence.  The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol made the most DUI arrests during the holidays.  Sheriff’s deputies were prepared for an increase in population at Santa Barbara County Jail.  Most individuals were released on citation, but others had bail bonds set for their cases.

There was one fatal crash involving a 68-year old Buellton woman named Linda Wall.  The incident occurred near Chumash Casino Resort on December 19th.  Rebecca Sandoval has been accused of the DUI-related crime and now faces charges of murder.  The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

Linda Wall was killed in this 3-vehicle DUI collision near the Chumash Casino Resort. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo)

Law enforcement are planning more DUI/driver’s license checkpoints and increased patrols in the coming year.  For the immediate future, Super Bowl weekend during the beginning of February has been targeted initially, with a follow up in March for St. Patrick’s Day.  No other plans have been indicated, but there may be other times when there is added attention given to potential DUI drivers.

Motorists who suspect fellow drivers of driving impaired are encouraged to call 9-1-1 to report.  It is legal to make emergency 9-1-1 calls on cellular phones while driving as long as it’s to a law enforcement agency, fire department, medical provider, or other emergency service agencies.

Authorities receive funding for the added DUI enforcement through a California Office of Traffic Safety grant via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The  AVOID the 12 Task Force is so named for the twelve Santa Barbara County law enforcement agencies who participate in the program.