SANTA ROSA – A strange situation developed on the night of October 16th that led to the arrest of an oddly behaving driver.
A deputy with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office was driving on Highway 101 around 7:30 p.m. when a man driving a black Totota Yaris began driving parallel with him, even as the officer accelerated to 75 m.p.h.
20-year-old Jake Butler then began tailgating the deputy at 85 m.p.h. and “shadowing his driving maneuvers.”
The deputy maneuvered so that he was eventually behind Butler in an effort to pull him over.
As a side note, ” During this time, another seemingly unrelated car side-swiped him and caused minor damage to the patrol car. That driver pulled over briefly, then drove away.”
Butler pulled over at a brake check station once the deputy turned on his emergency lights and siren, but he was not ready to comply peacefully.
Upon pulling over, Butler reportedly stayed in his car, smoking, screaming, and acting “erratically and dangerously.” Other deputies and CHP officers were contacted to assist.
At one point, Butler lunged out of the window, then went back into his seat. He also opened and shut his car door multiple times, not obeying the deputy’s orders.
Finally, he slowly got out of the vehicle, but then started crawling under his car. K-9 Max then assisted by biting Butler on the calf and ankle, which sped up the arrest process.
After a check at a local hospital, Butler “was booked into the Sonoma County jail on misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence, reckless driving and resisting arrest. He is being held on $10,000 bail.”
