Full Notification

On Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at 1:57p.m., Officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department responded to a report of a domestic violence incident in the Costco parking lot at 1900 Santa Rosa Avenue. A reporting party stated that a male was seen hitting a female during an argument in a parked maroon Subaru Forrester.
 
When an officer arrived on-scene, the male was actively assaulting the female passenger.  The officer drew his service weapon and ordered the male out of the vehicle.  The female passenger was then able to escape the vehicle to safety at that time.  The male driver put the Subaru in reverse and backed away from the officer in an attempt to flee.  The officer got back into his patrol vehicle and followed the suspect through the parking lot of 1900 Santa Rosa Avenue with his lights and sirens on.  The suspect drove erratically through the parking lot, exiting westbound on Kawana Springs Road then northbound on Santa Rosa Avenue where he side-swiped another vehicle, lost control and hit a light pole.  The suspect was ejected from his vehicle and sustained a major head injury.
 
The suspect was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.  The driver has not been identified at this time.

Northbound Santa Rosa Avenue between Kawana Springs Road and Colgan Avenue was closed for several hours due to the collision investigation.
 
As a matter of routine procedure, the Santa Rosa Police Department has invoked the Sonoma County Critical Incident Protocol and requested the California Highway Patrol take over the pursuit and collision investigation. Officers from Santa Rosa Police are investigating the domestic violence incident. The California Highway Patrol will conduct an independent investigation of the collision.
 
As a matter of procedure, the officer involved in the pursuit will be placed on Administrative Leave as this investigation continues.  His name is not being released at this time.  The officer was equipped with a body worn camera and the footage has not yet been reviewed.
 
For media inquiries, please contact Lieutenant Jeneane Kucker at 707-543-3573 or at [email protected].    For media inquiries for CHP, please contact Officer David Derutti at 707-303-6830 or at [email protected].