A 29-year-old woman says she was raped and indicated the suspect, who she hung out with at two Santa Barbara bars on the night of the alleged attack, drugged her, police said today.

But this is where the story gets interesting: The victim says she realized what had happened when she discovered she was pregnant a month after the encounter, cops said. She had an abortion, and the fetus' DNA confirmed that 36-year-old Michael Joseph Holden was the dad, according to Santa Barbara police.

By the time they figured that out, authorities said, Holden had fled to Mexico:

Santa Barbara police yesterday said Holden was en route back to that coastal city after he was nabbed up north, in Santa Clara, on Sunday. He was Stanford University Hospital's E.R. for some reason, authorities said.

Cops up there realized he was wanted for a July 14 burglary in Palo Alto and they jailed him, but Santa Barbara authorities said they'd send him their way soon enough.

In any case, here's the story, according to the SBPD:

On Sept. 2 the victim ran into Holden in downtown Santa Barbara. She had been to his house for a few parties in recent months. They decided to head to the James Joyce Bar and then to Mel's Lounge, where they closed the place.

Then they went to his place — 222 Cottage Grove Avenue, Apt. C. After saying she had a headache, the victim says Holden gave her a pill and a beverage.

Her memory is apparently fuzzy after that, but according to the police statement to the media:

Her next memory was of waking at around noon the following day, partially clothed on Holden's bed. Holden was not at home when the victim woke, however he returned approximately thirty minutes later stating that he had been attending to errands. Following his return the victim left in a taxi.

A few days later she texted the suspect to ask why she was partially nude when she awoke that September night. She says he denied having sex with her.

About a month later she felt ill and went to a doctor only to discover she was pregnant. On Oct. 6 she confronted the suspect with that info, but he denied any involvement.

She went to Planned Parenthood for counseling and an abortion, and officials there contacted cops. Detectives took DNA from the fetus and submitted it to the California Department of Justice Crime Lab for a possible match.

In the meantime, cops say Holden avoided them like the plague, and when he reported to his probation officer (he's a felony burglary convict), DNA was taken from him.

When detectives tried to contact him again he took off for Mexico, visiting Tijuana, Puerto Vallarta and other locations, police said.

On June 8 detectives found out Holden was a match for the fetus: He's the dad, cops say. A felony arrest warrant was issued for his arrest and, on July 13, police said Holden returned to the Golden State.

When he gets back to Santa Barbara, cops say they'll ask for $1.1 million bail. Though he hasn't been charged, cops are accusing him of rape.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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