Downtown Petaluma Assault Investigated As Hate Crime: Police

PETALUMA, CA — An incident in which a white man was reportedly beaten in downtown Petaluma by a group of suspects the victim described as four or five black men is being investigated as a hate crime and an assault, the Petaluma Police Department said Tuesday in a news release.

Petaluma police Lt. Ed Crosby said officers immediately responded at 9:03 p.m. Saturday, March 9 to the intersection of Mary Street at Petaluma Boulevard North to a woman's report that her domestic partner, a 60-year-old white man, had just been attacked.

The lieutenant said when officers arrived they found the victim on the ground suffering from numerous facial injuries.

The man was rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where according to police, he stayed two days. Injuries to the victim were confirmed as a fractured left eye socket, a broken nose and other abrasions to his face including facial swelling, Crosby said.

The couple told police that the night of the incident they had just finished eating dinner at a restaurant on Petaluma Boulevard North and were walking westbound toward their car, which was parked on Mary Street, when they passed a group of several African-American men who looked to be in their 20s, standing around a four-door, emerald green Honda Civic.

The couple said they did not interact with the group and were continuing on their way when one of the men by the green Honda "hurled profanity at the victim and referred to his [the victim's] race," Crosby said.

"The victim turned around and saw one of the males rushing at him, swinging his arms," Crosby said.

"The victim grabbed the advancing male, brought him to the ground, and pinned him," Crosby said. "In response, the other males by the green Honda repeatedly kicked the victim in the face before getting into the green Honda and fleeing the scene."

Petaluma police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact or leave a message for Petaluma Police Department Officer Ron Flores by calling 707-778-4372.

The victim and his female companion were not able to give many descriptive details about the suspects, the lieutenant said, and thus far, officers' efforts in canvassing the downtown area for any witnesses or video footage that would help identify the suspects have not been successful.

The green Honda was missing a front license plate; the back license plate may possibly include the numbers 611, according to police.