Driver Spits At, Threatens Officers During Cotati DUI Arrest: CHP

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Santa Rosa Area California Highway Patrol officers arrested a man after he allegedly threatened and spit at officers during a DUI arrest in Sunday night in Cotati. Law enforcement responded to a 911 caller at 8 p.m. who said a possible DUI driver was weaving across all lanes on northbound U.S. Highway 101 near Petaluma Boulevard. The caller said the driver had come close to crashing several times and no other cars were able to pass the driver.

CHP stopped the vehicle, a Ford Transit van, as it exited the highway at West Sierra Boulevard and pulled it over at the Cotati Police Department parking lot. Officials identified the man as Drew Easton, a 32-year-old man from Oceanside.

Easton's license had expired in 2014, according to CHP, and he showed signs of intoxication.

He failed sobriety tests and CHP officials said he was nearly three times over the legal limit.

Easton physically resisted the officers and became verbally abusive when CHP tried to arrest him, according to CHP. Officials said he kicked and destroyed a camera and spit around the police car.

CHP said Easton also repeatedly threatened the officers with violence while he was being transported.

Easton was arrested for a DUI, driving with a suspended license, felony vandalism and felony criminal threats.

By Bay City News Service

Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone