Autopsy Set Friday For Man Found on Petaluma Sidewalk; Head Laceration Is Mystery

An autopsy is scheduled Friday on a Petaluma man who was found dead on a busy downtown Petaluma street Tuesday evening.

The 60-year-old white male had a laceration on his head, but it’s not known if it had anything to do with his death, Petaluma police Sgt. Ed Crosby said.

“We can’t rule out homicide or foul play as possible explanations, or if he was hit or fell,” Crosby said.

[Previous: Man Found Facedown, Dead On Petaluma Sidewalk.]

Petaluma police said the man is a known transient and the Sonoma County coroner’s office knows his identity, but his name is not being released until his next of kin are notified.

“We’ve had numerous contacts with him,” Crosby said.

The man was found lying face down on the sidewalk near the intersection of B Street and Petaluma Boulevard South by a citizen around 7:30 p.m. Crosby said.

He was pronounced death at Petaluma Valley Hospital.

Police did not receive any calls about an altercation or disturbance before the man’s body was found in front of a 24-Hour Fitness gym at 6 Petaluma Boulevard North, Crosby said.

Police said video from a camera in the area shows the man walking down the street alone.

There is then a five-minute gap before the video shows the man lying on the ground around 7:19 p.m., Crosby said.

“Whatever happened was in that short 5-minute period of time,” Crosby said.

The last time the man checked into a homeless shelter was two years ago, Crosby said.

The autopsy will determine if the man had drugs or alcohol in his system, and it might also help determine if the cut on the man’s head wound was from a fall or a blow to the head, Crosby said

--Bay City News

--Image via shuterstock