Watsonville Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested During Traffic Stop

WATSONVILLE, CA — A man has been arrested on suspicion of an attempted murder that occurred Jan. 7 in a Watsonville warehouse, police said.

The Watsonville Police Department said in a statement that officers spotted Ian Coetzee, 21, in the area of Hangar Way — where the shooting took place — overnight Wednesday. Police followed him to the 2400 block of Freedom Boulevard and arrested him during a traffic stop, with some help from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol.

Detectives obtained a warrant last week for Coetzee in connection with a shooting that left a 19-year-old victim critically injured, police said. The victim was shot several times, but has been released from the hospital and is recovering.

The shooting occurred in the warehouse where Coetzee lived, police said.

Detectives were unable to find Coetzee after obtaining the search warrant last week, police said. After arresting him Wednesday, detectives served a search warrant at the warehouse and found bullet holes in a refrigerator and walls, police said. They also found bullet slugs inside the walls.

Coetzee was booked on attempted murder charges and is being held at Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $375,000 bail. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Tyler Wildey at 831-768-3356.