Suspected DUI Driver Leads Cops On Chase Through Petaluma: Police

PETALUMA, CA — A Bodega Bay woman suspected of DUI was taken into custody Sunday in Petaluma but not before leading officers on a chase by car and by foot, police said.

Officers responded around 5:30 p.m. Sunday to East Washington Street and Lakeville Street, where a caller reported a woman in a gray Toyota truck was driving erratically and had almost collided with other cars.

The caller gave a license plate number and said the truck was last seen going into the Taco Bell parking lot on E. Washington at Lakeville.

An officer saw the truck exit the parking lot and head eastbound on Lakeville into oncoming traffic while crossing over the double-yellow line several times, police said.

The officer tried to stop the woman — later identified as 41-year-old Traci T. Traci of Bodega Bay— at Lakeville and Lindberg Lane, but she continued eastbound, police said.

Just prior to Baywood Drive, Traci suddenly made an illegal U-turn and drove westbound on Lakeville, where she almost hit cars that were entering northbound U.S. Highway 101, police said.

After she made another illegal U-turn on Lakeville near the southbound onramp to U.S. 101, Traci tried to pass cars stopped on the left-hand side of the street near the northbound onramp to U.S. 101, police said.

At that point, a driver who saw Traci being chased purposely attempted to pin her truck into the center road barrier, resulting in a minor collision, police said.

But Traci continued eastbound on Lakeville going 60-70 mph, police said, then turned onto Marina Drive where she drove to the back of a business and ran off.

Officers were directly behind Traci's car and quickly apprehended her.

The driver who tried to block her car told officers they saw her take what looked like pills with some food while she was driving.

Traci was first taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital, then to Sonoma County Jail once she was medically cleared, police said.

While investigating Traci for suspected DUI, officers learned she was being investigated by the California Highway Patrol in connection with a hit-and-run crash west of Petaluma that happened just prior to the chase.

While CHP continued its investigation, Traci was jailed on suspicion of DUI, evading and delaying/ obstructing the police in connection with the Petaluma incidents, police said.

Jail records for Traci were not available online Monday afternoon.

Police said while motorists should call to report a possible DUI driver or crime in progress, the public "should not interfere in certain circumstances where it may lead to injury or property damage to themselves or someone else."