PETALUMA – Multiple 911 calls on Sunday afternoon (October 26) alerted Petaluma Police dispatch to a vehicle that had left the roadway and crashed into a property at the corner of Graylawn Avenue and Payran Street.
At approximately 4 pm, witnesses said that a suspect was fleeing the scene in a black Honda with a flat front tire. Officers arrived to find damaged landscaping at the residence. A perimeter was established in the vicinity when Traffic Officer Capiteli spotted the vehicle fleeing with a flat front tire. The driver was stopped a few blocks away and was found to be obviously intoxicated.
The subsequent DUI investigation led to the arrest of Fernando Hernandez, a 25-year-old resident of Petaluma. He was also found to be driving without a license. Hernandez was booked into Sonoma County Jail and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
East Washington and Petaluma Blvd.
Later the same day, multiple witnesses also called 911 to report a crash at the intersection of East Washington Street and Petaluma Boulevard North. Officers found the driver to also be under the influence of alcohol and arrested. The driver, Diane Dami, a 79-year-old resident of Petaluma was released on a citation but agreed to later appear in court. Dami had rear-ended a vehicle in front of her but no one was injured in the collision.
The Petaluma PD stated in a Press Release that DUI collisions remain the 5th highest cause of traffic accidents in Petaluma. In 2013 there were 57 alcohol related collisions that injured 16 people. So far in 2014, there have been 37 alcohol related traffic related accidents with 1 person killed and 7 injured. Officers have arrested 290 DUI driver’s in 2012, 280 drivers in 2013, and 236 drivers thus far this year. DUI arrests are 12% higher in Petaluma over last year at this time.
