Rohnert Park Chase Ends In Collision With Patrol Car

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A 38-year-old Rohnert Park man is accused of leading officers with the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety on a chase early Wednesday evening that ended when his car collided with a patrol car in the parking lot of The Home Depot, 4825 Redwood Drive.

The driver failed to yield to an officer who initiated a traffic stop, prompting a pursuit, a Rohnert Park DPS sergeant told Patch photographer Al Francis, who was in the area of Home Depot when the collision happened.

The female officer driving the patrol car hit by the suspect was treated at a hospital for a minor injury, Rohnert Park DPS Lt. Kelly Koffler told Patch by phone Thursday afternoon.

According to a news release that has since been issued, a Rohnert DPS patrol officer at 6:25 p.m. Wednesday spotted a gray Toyota going an estimated 65 mph on Roberts Lake Road in a 35-mph zone.

The driver of the Toyota — later identified as Peter Sullivan, 38, of Rohnert Park — passed another southbound vehicle by crossing over the double-yellow lines, at which time he almost struck an oncoming vehicle, Rohnert Park DPS Deputy Chief Aaron Johnson said in the news release.

At that point, the officer activated his lights and siren in an attempt to stop Sullivan but Sullivan instead ran a red light at Golf Course Drive, then headed westbound at a high rate of speed, Johnson said.

Traffic was stopped at the red light at Golf Course and Redwood drive and Sullivan pulled into the Union 76 gas station in an effort to go around the stopped traffic, nearly hitting a second patrol car that was stopped while an officer dealt with an unrelated traffic matter, Johnson said.

Sullivan reportedly continued across the street and into the parking lot of The Home Depot, going about 35 mph as he was now being pursued by two officers, Johnson said.

Sullivan reportedly lost control of the Toyota in The Home Depot parking lot and hit a concrete light pole, but regained control of the Toyota and continued through the parking lot, pulling into a handicapped parking space near the front doors of the hardware store, Johnson said.

"One officer had pulled up near the Toyota in an adjacent lane, while one pulled behind the driver," Johnson said. "[Sullivan] pulled through the parking stall and his Toyota collided with the front of the patrol car."

"[Sullivan] was attempting to drive away from the collision, but his vehicle became disabled and was unable to continue," Johnson said.

At that point, officers removed Sullivan from the vehicle and took him into custody without further incident.

Police said Sullivan was not injured during the incident; however because of his actions, police said the officer driving the patrol car suffered minor injuries and was transported to a hospital for an evaluation and released.

Sullivan was arrested and booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of reckless driving, evading a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, according to police.

"It does not appear that Sullivan was under the influence of narcotics or alcohol at the time of the incident, but he was in possession of illegal narcotics and paraphernalia which were located on him and in his vehicle at the time of his arrest," Johnson said.

There appeared to be four Rohnert Park patrol units at the scene and another unit from the California Highway Patrol.

Other than the patrol car and the Toyota, which was towed from the scene, police said no other vehicles were damaged over the course of the incident.