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Public Safety

Santa Barbara City Employee Identified as Victim in New Year’s Eve Fall

Officials said Faris Sanjakdar, 30, had climbed a tree and attempted to jump to a utility pole.

Santa Barbara City Employee Identified as Victim in New Year’s Eve Fall

The person who died after falling from a tree on New Year’s Eve has been identified as 30-year-old Faris Sanjakdar , a project engineer for the City of Santa Barbara’s Public Works Department.

Officials said Sanjakdar was attending a party in Mission Canyon when he climbed a nearby tree and attempted to jump to an adjacent utility pole. He suffered severe head injuries in the fall and emergency personnel responded at approximately 1:30 a.m. Sanjakdar was pronounced dead a few hours later at Cottage Hospital.

Friends have created a GoFundMe page to support Sanjakdar’s partner. “Give what you can,” it asks. “This is just a quiet way for friends to help Patrick. All money will be given to Patrick to help with expenses over the next few weeks now that Faris is gone.”