Man Arrested for Using Car as Deadly Weapon

Goleta - September 13th, 2011

A man from Goleta is in the Santa Barbara County Jail accused of driving his car into a 65-year old man while fleeing private property on a ranch just north of the City of Goleta.

At approximately 10:40am on Monday, September 12, 2011, Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a ranch at the 1700 block of La Patera Lane for a report of an assault with a vehicle.

Through their investigation, Sheriff’s deputies learned that the 65-year old victim, who worked on the ranch, noticed a car on the property that he believed was there illegally. The victim confronted 41-year old James Raphael Grippo (DOB 3/23/70), who was sitting alone in the driver’s seat of the car; the victim told Grippo that he was placing him under citizen’s arrest for trespassing.

Grippo agreed to drive behind the victim’s vehicle as they headed back to a ranch office to call law enforcement. When the victim stopped his vehicle and got out, he says that Grippo sped right at him knocking him onto the hood of Grippo’s Toyota Corolla. The victim says the impact of his body broke the windshield. He says he was still on the hood when Grippo began driving at a high rate of speed before slamming on the brakes and knocking the victim off the vehicle.

Sheriff’s deputies were able to get a good description of the vehicle from several witnesses who saw Grippo quickly driving away moments after the incident. About five hours later, Grippo called law enforcement to report the incident. Grippo was interviewed at his home in Goleta at which time he was arrested.

He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail Monday night for assault with a deadly weapon (245(a)(1) PC). His bail is set at $30,000. A friend drove the victim to the hospital for treatment of his injuries which did not appear to be life threatening.

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