Crime & Safety
Suspected DUI Driver Reported By Safeway, Hits Several Cars: DPS
Safeway in Rohnert Park reported an intoxicated customer who drove away. He was later found when he hit several parked cars, police said.
ROHNERT PARK, CA — When officers responded to a report of an intoxicated Safeway customer Thursday in Rohnert Park, the suspect was found an hour later after he crashed into several cars, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said.
Staff at the Safeway grocery store at 6430 Commerce Blvd. called police at 5:15 p.m. Thursday and said a customer was intoxicated inside the store and was last seen driving out of the parking lot, Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Sgt. Matt Snodgrass said in a news release.
Officers searched the area for the car but did not immediately find it.
Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatifor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Then, at 6:10 p.m., public safety dispatchers got a call about a traffic collision involving several cars at Country Club Drive and Emily Avenue.
"It was determined this was the same vehicle that left from the Safeway parking lot an hour earlier," Snodgrass said. "Officers arrived on scene and observed several parked vehicles on Country Club Drive had been struck by the vehicle driven by Jon Verrett out of the City of Fairfield."
Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatifor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Officers found Verrett standing next to his car which had lost its front wheel and had major damage to the front end.
Verrett displayed signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication so officers initiated a DUI investigation which Verrett was unable to finish due to his intoxication, Snodgrass said.
Verrett is accused of having a had a blood-alcohol content of 0.25 percent, which is over three times the legal limit.
He was arrested and booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, Snodgrass said.
Officers contacted the owners of the parked cars and took reports for insurance purposes.
Snodgrass said officers will continue extra traffic enforcement over the holidays in an effort to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roadway and alcohol-related collisions.
"Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety would like to remind everyone to drive safe and drink responsibly during the holiday season."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
