An intoxicated driver and his passenger were arrested after their car crashed through the wall of an occupied Goleta home earlier this week, officials confirmed.
It happened late Monday night, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, in the 6200 block of Cathedral Oaks Road.
Deputies were dispatched at 11:38 p.m. to the Goleta residence and found a sedan sticking halfway out of the house after it plunged over the front yard and into what appeared to be a family room.
A preliminary investigation unveiled that the driver, identified as 23-year-old Nehemiah Verhoef of Goleta, failed to make a left-hand turn onto Carlo Drive from Cathedral Oaks, which then resulted in him driving over a crosswalk activator and crashing into the house. Deputies discovered Verhoef was driving under the influence of alcohol.
In addition, before authorities arrived, the sheriff’s office said that the passenger of the vehicle, identified as 24-year-old Luke Gibou of Santa Barbara, tried to hide open containers of alcohol that they had in the car.
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A Honda Accord is seen after a DUI driver crashed into an occupied Goleta home. June 2025. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office) -
Crews are seen shoring up a Goleta home after a DUI driver crashed into it. June 2025. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department) -
Crews are seen shoring up a Goleta home after a DUI driver crashed into it. June 2025. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department) -
Crews are seen shoring up a Goleta home after a DUI driver crashed into it. June 2025. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department)
Crews with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department also responded to reports of the crash and helped shore up and secure the severely damaged structure.
Deputies arrested Verhoef for a misdemeanor DUI, and Gibou for concealing evidence—also a misdemeanor. They were both booked at the Main Jail, but have since been cited and released.
“With rideshare, designated drivers, and public transportation, there’s no excuse for putting lives at risk by driving impaired,” said Sergeant Noel Rivas with the Goleta Traffic Bureau. “Make the right choice before you get behind the wheel—and avoid a trip to jail.”
The one person who was home at the time happened to be in a separate area of the house when the car crashed through their front wall, and no injuries were reported as a result.
