Santa Barbara, Calif. – Two Santa Maria men have been arrested for attempted murder and numerous other charges following a shooting on Thanksgiving morning. On Thursday, November 23, 2023, at approximately 8:38 a.m., deputies responded to the 1300-block of Ellwood Ranch Road in Santa Barbara for a report of a shooting from a vehicle. As deputies were on their way, the suspects fled in a vehicle towards Cathedral Oaks Road.

Shortly thereafter, a deputy spotted the suspect vehicle in the 7000-block of Hollister Avenue and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver, however, evaded the deputies, leading them on a brief pursuit. The pursuit came to an end when the driver collided with the sidewalk, and both occupants fled on foot. Deputies swiftly apprehended both suspects, later identified as 37-year-old Alejandro Maldonado and 31-year-old Edgar Bribiesca-Puga, both residents of Santa Maria. Inside the suspects’ vehicle, deputies discovered items stolen from the Ellwood Ranch Road residence. Additionally, a handgun, identified as an un-serialized .40 caliber “ghost” gun, used in the shooting was recovered.

Both suspects were booked at the Main Jail for felonies including attempted murder, assault with a firearm, conspiracy, grand theft, and burglary as well as misdemeanor charges of obstruction, possession of a controlled substance, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools.

Maldonado was booked on the additional felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon – not a firearm, driver allowing a firearm to be discharged from a vehicle, evading, and driving the wrong way while evading along with misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and driving on the wrong side of a divided highway. Maldonado is being held without bail for a violation of probation.

Bribiesca-Puga was booked on additional felony charges of shooting at a person from a vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public, felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of an un-serialized firearm. He is being held on $1,000,000 bail.