Palo Alto Man Arrested After Following Woman Around East Bay: Police

DUBLIN, CA — An East Bay woman wants to warn others after her car was struck from behind by another car that followed her around Dublin streets and through parking lots for more than 20 minutes last week. The young woman, who asked to remain anonymous, shared her harrowing ordeal via social media and said she called police early on May 21 after she realized the car had been following her since she stopped for gas just after 5:30 a.m.

After pumping gas at the 7-Eleven store located at 7100 Dougherty Road, the woman said she took her usual route toward her job on Dublin Boulevard. When she realized the car behind her was the same as the one at the gas station, she tried to lose it by driving through the BART transit center and then the parking lots at Persimmon Place and Hacienda Crossings shopping centers. She said she called police when she realized the driver was definitely following her.

While on the phone with the dispatcher, she ended up stuck at a stoplight, and the car inched closer and closer to her car until he finally hit her car from behind. The victim says she felt she was hit intentionally and was able to flag police officers down soon after.

Officers stopped the driver in the area of Madigan Road and Gleason Drive. Police officials say the driver, identified as a Palo Alto resident, was found to be on DUI probation. The man was arrested on suspicion of violating a court order, driving on a suspended license and for failure to have an ignition interlock device installed in his vehicle. The man, whose name was not released, was booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

“This is something I have read before in articles, but I NEVER thought this would happen in my city,” the woman told Patch.

The victim wants others to be aware of their surroundings.

“I am beyond thankful for the officers that helped me through this, but please, if you ever feel unsafe, and feel as if someone is following you, call the police, remain calm, and continue to drive,” she said.

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