A Santa Barbara County man is facing a hate crime charge after prosecutors say he physically attacked someone because they might be gay.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives say the incident happened April 15th near Refugio State Beach was hit. A Santa Paula man was hurt when someone attacked him with a guitar. Investigators say the attacker shouted a homophobic slur as he assaulted the victim. The man was treated at a hospital for his injuries.
Detectives identified 19 year old Daniel Joseph Garcia of Isla Vista as a suspect in the attack. They couldn’t find him in IV, but discovered he was in the Monterey County Jail on assault and DUI charges. After those charges are settled, he’ll be brought back to Santa Barbara County to face the hate crime count.
