Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Stephen Dunkle on Thursday dismissed a felony false imprisonment charge against Ashlee Buzzard, ruling after a three-hour preliminary hearing that the prosecution failed to show probable cause that Buzzard confined alleged victim Tyler Brewer through violence or menace.

“I find that there’s not probable cause to hold her to answer,” Dunkle said shortly before noon. “There’s insufficient evidence that this was any confinement or restraint effectuated by violence or menace.”

The ruling came after Senior Deputy District Attorney Jordan Lockey called Brewer, a freelance paralegal and legal document assistant, and Santa Barbara County sheriff’s detective Thomas Brownley as the only witnesses.

Brewer testified that he visited Buzzard’s Vandenberg Vill

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