'Duck and Cover' Doesn't Work With Sonoma Co.-Area CHP

A driver who aroused a passing California Highway Patrol officer’s suspicion when he ducked down and tried to hide his face was arrested for several offenses in west Sonoma County Monday.

Chris Hamner Jr., 46, of Santa Rosa, was stopped in his GMC SUV at the intersection of Guerneville Road and state Highway 116 around 9:30 p.m. when the officer passed by. Hamner ducked and tried to hide his face, immediately pulled into a feed store parking lot on Highway 116 and quickly walked into the store, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.

A check of the SUV’s license plate revealed the registration expired in 2011, despite having current 2015 tags, Sloat said. When Hamner came out of the store he would not say where he got the 2015 tags, and the officer learned Hamner’s license was suspended for a prior DUI conviction, Sloat said.

Hamner said he was on his way to pick up his son from school, and the CHP officer noticed signs of intoxication, Sloat said. Hamner was arrested for DUI after an evaluation.

Open containers of alcohol were found in his SUV, Sloat said.

Hamner also was on probation and had a no bail warrant for his arrest for a prior DUI and child endangerment conviction, Sloat said.

Hamner was booked in the Sonoma County Jail on the arrest warrant, violation of probation, DUI, driving while suspended, having no proof of insurance, open containers in a vehicle and a registration violation, Sloat said.

-Bay City News

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