DUI Cases Rise In Petaluma, 4 Arrests Made Since Friday

PETALUMA, CA — Four people have been arrested in Petaluma on suspicion of driving under the influence since Friday and two of the incidents involved collisions, according to the Petaluma Police Department.

On Friday at 9:22 a.m., 29-year-old Petaluma resident Norberto Vasquez-Lopez, was driving when he crashed into another vehicle on East Washington Street at McDowell Boulevard. A passenger in the other vehicles suffered minor injuries.

Vasquez-Lopez initially gave officers a false name. Investigating officers discovered that he was driving on a suspended license and was on DUI probation. He was arrested with a blood alcohol content of 0.17.

At 1:44 a.m. on Saturday, 26-year-old Samuel Lopez of Rohnert Park was seen driving on East Washington Street at Vallejo Street when officers pulled him over. Lopez was arrested with a blood alcohol level of 0.11 percent. He was booked and later released on a citation to appear in court.

READ MORE: Petaluma Woman Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI Twice In 34 Hours

At 2:13 a.m., a 24-year-old man struck a light pole on East Washington Street near Copeland street. He was taken to Memorial Hospital, where police determined Jake McConnel of Cameron Park, had a blood alcohol level of 0.20 percent.

McConnel was arrested at the hospital but released on a citation to appear in court.

On Saturday afternoon, police found a man stopped in his car in a traffic lane on the Old Redwood Highway overdressing. Police attempted to contact the driver — identified as Victor L. Sonato, 27, of Rohnert Park — but he drove away as officers approached.

Sonato reportedly refused to submit to a chemical test and was arrested for DUI and driving with a suspended license. He was booked into Sonoma County Jail.

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.

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