The mother of a missing Vandenberg Village girl pleaded not guilty to a false imprisonment charge in Santa Barbara County Superior Court Wednesday, denying allegations that she armed herself with a box cutter and prevented a man from leaving her house in an altercation that occurred earlier this month.

Ashlee Buzzard, 40, appeared for an arraignment before Superior Court Judge John McGregor in Santa Maria and denied falsely imprisoning Tyler Brewer, the owner of a Paso Robles paralegal business, during a confrontation at her Vandenberg Village home on Nov. 6.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives arrested Buzzard on Friday following the confrontation at her home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue and booked her into the Northern Branch Jail. Sheriff’s officials added that the incident w

See Full Page