CA Woman Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI Twice In 34 Hours

PETALUMA, CA — A 37-year-old woman was arrested twice in within 32 hours on suspicion of driving under the influence in Northern California, police said.

On Wednesday just before noon, Petaluma resident Jillian Jimenez barreled past police officers at a Steamer Landing parking lot before she pulled into a parking stall and collided with the curb, the Petaluma Police Department said in a statement.

Officers approached her she exited her vehicle in an apparent state of disorientation. Police conducted an investigation to "determine her level of intoxication," according to a release.

After she "performed poorly" on a sobriety test, police arrested her and left her car locked in the lot where it was parked legally, officials said.

The next day at 10 p.m., officers were patrolling the area of East D Street when they watched a vehicle nearly collide with several other parked cars before crossing over the road and almost crashing into their patrol vehicle head on.

After conducting a traffic stop, they discovered that Jimenez was behind the wheel again, displaying "objective symptoms of alcohol intoxication."

She failed a sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood alcohol content above 0.08 percent.

She was arrested by a specialized DUI Enforcement Officer, police said.

DUI is the third-highest cause of car collisions in Petaluma. And the frequency of DUI arrests have accelerated in the city in recent months, prompting the department to add more overnight shifts and deploy additional officers to patrol specifically for impaired drivers.

At the start of the year, there were 15 DUI arrests and five DUI collisions in Petaluma, up from five DUI arrests and no DUI crashes in January 2021, police said.

During the first six months of 2021 in Petaluma, total DUI arrests were at 60. During the second half of 2021, DUI arrests went up to 120 in the city.

In response to the recent uptick, the Petaluma Police Department announced that its Traffic Unit returned one DUI officer to duty and added another DUI officer using Measure U funding.

Measure U, a 1-cent tax sales tax to generate funds for vital city services, was approved by Petaluma voters in November 2020.

A DUI officer position was eliminated in 2018 because of staffing shortages but on Jan. 9, 2022, one DUI officer was assigned to each patrol platoon, therefore making seven-day-a-week coverage, the Petaluma Police Department said Thursday in a news release.

The DUI officers work a 4 p.m.-3 a.m. shift.

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license, Petaluma police said.

"If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying at home," officers wrote in a release.

READ MORE: Petaluma Police Department Adds 2 DUI Officers Amid Uptick