Petaluma Man Accused Of Assaulting Officer, DUI: Police

PETALUMA, CA — A Petaluma man was booked into Sonoma County jail Thursday night after crashing into a parked car and grabbing a police officer by the throat, according to the Petaluma Police Department. It all started around 8 p.m. Thursday at Casa Grande Road and Henry Way, where Joshua Ghiotto, 26, admitted to being involved in a car crash, Petaluma police Sgt. Aaron Garihan said Friday in a news release.

The collision with a car parked on Casa Grande Road caused Ghiotto's car to flip onto its side, trapping him inside, according to the sergeant.

"An area resident had to help extricate Ghiotto from his vehicle," Garihan said.

As officers tried speaking with Ghiotto, he showed signs and symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol and he refused to answer any investigative questions or take any field sobriety tests, the sergeant said.

When Ghiotto started to leave the scene, officers tried to put handcuffs on him — at which point Ghiotto "became physically combative," police allege.

"During the struggle with officers, Ghiotto grabbed an officer’s throat and threatened to kill him," Garihan said.

Eventually, though, Ghiotto was taken into custody.

Ghiotto was taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital for a chemical test, then booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and battery on a police officer, according to police.

A search of jail records late Friday afternoon indicated Ghiotto was no longer in custody.