Street-Racing Suspect Arrested In Sonoma Co.

PETALUMA, CA – A citizen, who witnessed a street-race collision last month in Petaluma in which a driver got away, spotted the car Friday at a local shopping center and called police, which led to the arrest of a suspect in the crash, according to authorities.

Juan Guzman Garcia, 23, of Petaluma, was contacted by police and arrested on suspicion of reckless driving causing great bodily injury, street racing, driving on a suspended license and two counts of probation violation, the Petaluma Police Department said.

Sonoma Mountain Parkway in Petaluma was closed for nearly four hours the afternoon of Jan. 25 after a multi-vehicle, injury crash, in which witnesses described two vehicles racing prior to the collision, Petaluma police said. One injured person was transported by helicopter to a hospital.

On Friday, the citizen, who witnessed the crash, called police after seeing the vehicle of interest, a gray Subaru WRX, in a Sonoma Mountain Parkway shopping center parking lot, officials said. Police determined Guzman Garcia was the car's registered owner, and a records check showed that his driver license was suspended for a driving-under-the-influence conviction and being a negligent operator, police said.

"Guzman Garcia admitted that he was the other driver involved in the street race and told the officers he was scared because his driver’s license was suspended," the department said. "Guzman Garcia was told by his employer and friends that he should contact the police about the collision, but he never did."

His vehicle was impounded for 30 days, and he was booked in Sonoma County Jail, police said.

Petaluma police thanked the alert citizen, "who called in an invaluable tip, both for the community and for those seriously injured in this collision."

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--Maggie Avants, Patch, contributed to this report/Image via Petaluma PD