Man Sought In Assault With Deadly Weapon On Petaluma Officers: PD

PETALUMA, CA — Petaluma police asked for the public's help in identifying a man wanted on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on officers and other crimes in connection with an incident Sunday afternoon.

Officers were initially sent at 12:41 p.m. to 300 block of Lakeville Street where a business owner called 911 to report that someone had just stolen a customer's car from the business, Petaluma police Sgt. Ryan Suhrke said.

The witness described the car and said it went southbound on Hopper Street. Officers saw the car stopped on Hopper and there was a man quickly throwing items into the trunk, Suhrke said.

Officers tried to detain the man but he fought with them, causing an officer to fall to the ground where she suffered minor injuries the required medical attention, the sergeant said.

The man broke free of the officers and started to drive off in the car but two marked patrol cars had boxed him in so he intentionally rammed both cars, police said.

Officers were still inside both patrol cars when the man rammed the cars in an attempt to escape, police said.

Neither officer was injured but there was moderate damage to both cars.

After ramming the police cars, the man drove south on Hopper to a nearby hotel and construction site near the riverfront.

Officers pursued the car and momentarily lost sight of it while going through the construction site.

Moments later, they found the stolen car; it had collided with a chain-link fence and was no longer driveable.

Witnesses told officers where the suspect was last seen, and officers created a perimeter and requested the help of K9 officers from Petaluma PD and the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, as well as a CHP air unit.

"Several locations were checked, but officers were unable to locate the subject," Suhrke said.

About an hour later, a community member called the police and reported his bicycle was just stolen and he chased the suspect but lost sight of him. The description of the bike thief matched that of the man wanted in the assaults on officers.

Several officers responded to the area, along with CHP’s Air Patrol Unit and searched the area but did not find the man. Petaluma officers also learned there was a significant delay in time before the bike-theft victim was able to contact the police.

"The subject in this incident is wanted for several crimes, including assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, and evading a police officer," Suhrke said.

Petaluma police produced a photo of the suspect by reviewing officers' body-worn cameras.

Police said anyone who recognizes the man in the photo should not approach the man but should call the Petaluma Police Department at 707-778-4326 or send an email to ppdtips@cityofpetaluma.org.