Crime & Safety

Escapee Caught; Jewelry Heist Solved: RP-C, North Bay Police Logs

Man accused of fondling children in IHOP; drugs suspected in father, baby son's deaths; and other North Bay police, fire and court news.

A Santa Rosa man found unresponsive Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in a Mercedes-Benz in Mill Valley was arrested for firearm and drug possession after more than three hours of attempts by authorities to coax him from the vehicle.
A Santa Rosa man found unresponsive Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in a Mercedes-Benz in Mill Valley was arrested for firearm and drug possession after more than three hours of attempts by authorities to coax him from the vehicle. (Mill Valley Police Department)

ROHNERT PARK-COTATI, CA — The following is a week's collection of police, courtroom and fire stories from Rohnert Park-Cotati and elsewhere in Sonoma County and the North Bay.

Chase, Standoff Close U.S. Highway 101 In Sonoma County

  • Following an hours-long standoff, SWAT personnel used "non-lethal methods" to remove a Geyserville man from his car, the CHP said.

Unresponsive Man Arrested On Gun, Drug Charges In Mill Valley

Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatifor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • A Santa Rosa man found unresponsive in a car in Mill Valley was arrested for firearm and drug possession.

I-80 Reopens Following Freeway Shooting Investigation: CHP

  • All eastbound lanes were closed after a person was struck by at least one bullet, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Death Of 13-Month-Old Baby Leads To Murder Arrest: Santa Rosa PD

Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatifor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Officers found signs of recent drug use at the scene, a police lieutenant said.

Father Accused Of Murdering 13-Month-Old Son Dies At Hospital: PD

  • The Santa Rosa man was hospitalized after he and his infant son were found unconscious -- with signs nearby of recent drug use, police said.

Inmate Who Left Conservation Camp Captured In Vallejo

  • Jonathan Washington will be taken to a California Correctional Center and will no longer be housed in a conservation camp, officials said.

St. Helena Jewelry Store Burglary Tied To Chilean Crime Ring: PD

  • Using an officer's body-camera footage, St. Helena PD worked with the FBI to make an arrest in the "elaborate and well-calculated burglary."

City In Solano County Sued For Excessive Force, Racial Profiling

  • A civil rights attorney has sued a Solano County city, and alleges that Vallejo police engage in racial profiling and excessive force.

2 Killed In Solano County Hwy 12 Crash

  • Two Solano County residents, including one from Suisun City, were killed Wednesday when their vehicle crashed into a concrete roundabout.

Petaluma Police Planning Bicycle And Pedestrian Safety Operation

  • This weekend, Petaluma Police will conduct a safety operation aimed at educating bicyclists, drivers & pedestrians on traffic rules & laws.

Davis High School Vandalized During Possible Hate Crime: Police

  • Vandalism at Davis High School campus last weekend was possibly committed as part of a hate crime, Davis police say.

Napa Motorcyclist Who Was Killed In Collision Identified

  • A 42-year-old Napa man was killed in a collision that occurred Wednesday evening on Berryessa Knoxville Road near Berryessa Drive.

1 Killed In Crash In Unincorporated Solano County

  • One person died in a crash Wednesday night in unincorporated Solano County west of Rio Vista, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Man Accused Of Fondling Children In North Bay IHOP

  • Alexander Bantov, 58, of San Francisco, was arrested after at least two customers witnessed the alleged fondling and called police.

Transient Accused Of Breaking Into Petaluma Business: Police

  • Police are investigating whether the 58-year-old transient from San Diego may be connected to other recent thefts.

3-Alarm Fire Burns Former Mare Island Commissary Building [VIDEO]

  • The blaze in the abandoned building was first reported at 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

DUI Suspected In Wrong-Way Crash On Hwy 29 In Napa County: CHP

  • Alcohol is believed to be a factor in a head-on collision at Tower Road that left two people trapped in their cars, according to the CHP.

1 Killed In Rollover Crash Near Napa-Sonoma County Line

  • Three others were injured in the crash that occurred during rainy conditions, the California Highway Patrol said.

Robbery Suspect Runs From Sonoma Co. Deputies, Arrested Next Day

  • A Santa Rosa man who ran from sheriff's deputies Monday night was arrested at a business in Larkfield on Tuesday afternoon, a sergeant said.

Healdsburg Man Sentenced To Jail For Vehicular Manslaughter

  • A bicyclist participating in a charity ride died. Courtney Rudin cried as he listened to the victim's friends and family in court.

2 Children, Woman Seriously Injured In Highway 101 Crash In Marin

  • The woman and children were traveling in a Toyota RAV4 near Miller Creek Road when the Toyota collided with another vehicle, officials said.

Teen Killed In Crash Was San Marin High School Football Player

  • A Novato teen who died in a car crash over the weekend was identified as Mario Lupercio Jr., a student and football player at San Marin.

San Rafael Man Found Dead In Submerged Vehicle In China Camp

  • Authorities identified a man who was killed over the weekend when his vehicle went over a cliff in China Camp State Park in San Rafael.

Dad Of Boy Killed In Boating Accident Near Angel Island Arrested

  • The father of an 11-year-old boy who died after he fell overboard near Angel Island was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.

Man Arrested For Assaulting Driver, Stabbing Teen In Mill Valley: Police

  • A man was arrested for allegedly assaulting an Uber driver and stabbing a teen near Park Elementary School in Mill Valley, police said.

Vegetation Fire Breaks Out Near Indian Valley Golf Club In Novato

  • The fire, which moved at a slow rate of speed, scorched 2 acres, fire officials said.

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