Full Notification

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2014

CONTACT: Sergeant Jim Stephenson, (707) 778-4596, [email protected]

The Petaluma Police Department Announce Results of
DUI/Suspended License Court Sting Operation

On February 13, 2014 between the hours of 8:30am and 12:00pm officers from Petaluma Police Department and the Santa Rosa Police Department conducted an undercover ‘Court Sting’ operation at the Sonoma County Courts targeting suspected DUI drivers whose licenses where suspended/revoked or who were unlicensed drivers.

Police officers staked out offenders who had been told by a judge not to drive and/or who had been told of their license suspension. 15 offenders were followed by officers from courtrooms to their vehicles to ensure that they were not driving. While some offenders complied with the law and had alternate means of transportation, 6 individuals in court for DUI or driving on a suspended license proceeded to get behind the wheel and drove away from the court house.

Those who chose to drive were stopped by waiting officers. Among those stopped for driving while suspended or unlicensed then were cited back into court:

Nicholas Aldama, 29, Santa Rosa resident, Driving on a suspended license
Jeffrey Smith, 39, Santa Rosa resident, Driving on a suspended license, vehicle impounded
Nicole Brock, 22, Santa Rosa resident, Driving on a suspended license, vehicle impounded
Jamie Clark, 34, Vallejo resident, Driving on a suspended license, vehicle impounded
Timothy Banuet, 27, Petaluma resident, Driving on a suspended license, vehicle impounded
Javier Garnica, 23, Santa Rosa resident, Driving on a suspended license, vehicle impounded

Those arrested today could face additional jail time, long driver license suspensions, along with other financial hits including attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.

DUI/Driver’s License Court Sting stakeout operations, along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement, serve as a proven deterrent with the goal of keeping impaired drivers from the road and heightening awareness among the public of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

This special DUI/Driver’s License operation was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Please help Petaluma PD every day of the week: Report Drunk Drivers – Call 9-1-1! Grant # 14111.