Police Taking Care of Things

From the Santa Barbara Daily Sound.

Headline from Print Edition.

Police suspect jilted lover in boat stabbing

By ERIC LINDBERG — May 19, 2009

Police believe a jilted lover is behind a knife assault that took place on a boat moored off East Beach on Sunday and sent a 23-year-old victim to the hospital with multiple stab wounds.

Authorities responded to Stearns Wharf at 4:30 a.m. after witnesses reported hearing a woman screaming on a boat just east of the wharf, Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte said. Officers arrived and found the victim, who had made his way to the wharf.

Investigators determined that the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Alan Joseph Farren, had apparently become jealous after his ex-girlfriend began dating the victim, Duarte said.

“Farren was able to convince an unknown person to row him out to the victim’s boat in the middle of the night,” he said in a news release. “Farren boarded the boat and then attacked the victim with a knife, stabbing him several times.”

After the victim jumped into the water and swam to a nearby skiff, authorities said the suspect followed, climbed into the skiff and demanded the victim take him to shore or face further harm.

“The victim transported Farren to East Beach, at which point Farren jumped out of the skiff and fled the scene,” Duarte said.

Emergency responders took the victim to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where he was treated and admitted. Police are still looking for Farren, who is described as a 6-foot, 240-pound man with short brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard.

Duarte said he had been seen recently near the Moreton Bay Fig Tree adjacent to the train station, camping on the beach near the skate park, and on boats moored in the harbor.

Farren apparently has a tattoo of a sword on his left forearm, as well as other tattoos on his right shoulder and neck, authorities said, and may have a pit bull puppy with him. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call 897-2335.