Juvenile suspect appears in court for Stearns Wharf murder case

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

of Santa Barbara’s plan. The

COURTESY IMAGES

Planner goes over details of a changed De la Guerra Plaza

By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The proposed revitalization of downtown’s De la Guerra Plaza involves several changes and additions, some of which have proven controversial, including the proposed bubbler fountain and the hard surface materials that will replace the existing grass.

In an interview with the NewsPress, Principal Project Manager Brad Hess shared more about some of the project’s features.

• The bubbler fountain:

“This was previously supported by HLC and the Advisory Committee, and contrary to what we heard at the most recent meeting, we think this is a great idea for the plaza,” he said.

He admitted there have been concerns voiced in the past over the appropriateness of having a fountain because of the water shortage.

“While that may not be a problem now with the storms this year, we live in a place where it will be a problem again. The fountain uses recirculated water that runs through a filter system and storage tank such that the water loss is only due to evaporation. It’s not much. This system also meets the Department of Health requirements for safety.

“When it’s off, it will be challenging to see that there is a fountain present, and the space will just be a beautiful part of the plaza. The Chumash mosaic will be in that space as well, possibly a part of the bubbler fountain, but the space will be beautiful when the water is on or off.

“Lastly, traditional above-ground fountains with pools of water are not supported by the city council, and they made it very clear they would not approve an exception for an above-ground fountain for the plaza.”

• The surface materials:

“The materials proposed were supported by HLC, and we are confident that they are in keeping with the historic feel of the plaza,” he said.

There are four types of materials proposed.

The “Street of Spain” that comes from El Paseo adjacent to Casa de la Guerra is grouted sandstone.

“We are proposing to extend this very historic material and look all the way around the outside of the plaza toward the News-Press building and then down Storke Placita to State Street. It will be stunning. If you go look at it, it appears to be random in the way it’s installed, but there’s actually an old pattern that is used. We intend to use the model as the template for the installation.”

Inside the grouted sandstone is a brick band that mimics the road. It will not be the red brick of State Street, but “Pueblo Flash,” which is more brown and neutral.

“The reason for the brick is that this is where the utilities are located underground,” Mr. Hess said. “The reason the plaza looks like it does is that over the years repairs have been made and then patched with concrete, asphalt or a combination and it looks terrible.

Please see PLANNER on A4

One of the Ventura County 15-year-olds charged with murder in the Dec. 9 fatal shooting death of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf appeared in court Tuesday for further proceedings in his case, prosecutors said.

“One juvenile murder defendant was in court today,”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister confirmed.

“That case was continued to 4/20 for further proceedings.”

The other 15-year-old from Ventura County who is charged with murder in the death of Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo, is due back in court on April 4, also for further proceedings, the prosecutor said.

“Further proceedings,”

Senior Deputy District Attorney McAllister said, “just means that the court and the parties will appear to address any issues that need to be addressed and check on the status of the case.”

The District Attorney’s Office has identified the teens as

Matthew Lopez and Adan de la Cruz.

The two minor defendants have alleged ties to Ventura County gangs. Both have denied the murder charges filed against them. Prosecutors will not seek to try them as adults in Superior Court, where their sentences would be a lot stiffer if they were convicted.

“The law was recently changed to prohibit the transfer of 14- and 15-year olds to adult court, so the juveniles must be tried as juveniles,” Prosecutor McAllister said.

Prosecutors allege the two teens engaged in a firefight with four young adults from Santa Barbara with alleged ties to a Santa Barbara gang, and that Mr. Gutierrez got trapped in between the two groups. Mr. Gutierrez was walking on the Santa Barbara wharf with his wife when the shooting erupted. According to police, he “was struck and killed by one of the rounds fired” during the altercation.

Please see MURDER on A2