2 Police Cars Damaged In Suspected DUI Incident: Petaluma PD

PETALUMA, CA — Two Petaluma police officers were injured and their patrol cars were damaged Thursday in an incident involving a suspected drunk driver at Sonoma Mountain Parkway and Maria Drive.

Officers were dispatched around 1 p.m. to reports of a possible DUI driver at Maria Drive and Rolling Hill Drive who "was swerving all over the road, had parked and was urinating on the side of the road," Petaluma police Lt. Tim Lyons said.

A motorcycle officer found the driver, later identified as Bernardo Perez, 51, of Petaluma, inside a truck parked on Maria Drive. When the officer knocked on the driver's side window to get Perez's attention, Perez sped southbound on Maria Drive, Lyons said.

Two officers in marked patrol vehicles chased Perez with their emergency lights activated.

Perez lost control of his 2006 Lincoln pickup truck on Maria Drive south of Sonoma Mountain Parkway, where he hit a fence and ended up facing northbound.

Perez accelerated north, toward the two patrol cars.

"The first patrol vehicle attempted to pull off the roadway to avoid a collision, but the suspect vehicle collided head-on with the patrol vehicle," Lyons said. "This patrol vehicle became disabled in the center of the roadway due to the collision."

The second officer intentionally collided with the front of Perez's pickup truck, pushing it away from the other patrol car and preventing Perez from escaping, Lyons said.

Perez was quickly taken into custody. After he was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries suffered in the crash, he was booked into Sonoma County jail.

Bernardo was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, felony evading a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon, and violation of probation.

"This was Suspect Bernardo’s 5th DUI arrest; and he was also on current probation for DUI and Domestic Violence," Lyons said.

As for the assault with a deadly weapon charge, it is alleged that Perez intentionally drove head-on into a patrol car with an officer inside, the lieutenant said. Sonoma County jail records show Perez was being held Friday in lieu of $140,000 bail.

There was moderate damage to both patrol cars, and both officers were injured, police said.

The officer whose car was hit by the truck was released from a hospital after receiving treatment for injuries suffered in the crash.

Petaluma Fire Department paramedics treated the second officer's injuries at the scene.

The California Highway Patrol responded to investigate the collision with the assistance of Petaluma PD. Sonoma Mountain Parkway and Maria Drive — near Corona Road in northeast Petaluma — were closed to traffic for about four hours Thursday as the incident was investigated.

Anyone who witnessed this incident is asked to call the Petaluma Police Department at 707-778-4372.