Full Notification

City of Petaluma, California

Memorandum

Police Administration, 969 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma, CA  94952

(707) 778-4372  Fax (707) 778-4376    E-mail:[email protected]

________________________________________________________________________

Petaluma Police Department

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release/Broadcast

DATE:                           Wednesday October 19, 2016

Report Number:           PPD 16-5300

Occurred Date

and Time:                     Tuesday October 18, 2016 at 3:33PM

Incident:                          23152 (A) CVC – D.U.I.

                                       273(a) PC- Child Endangerment                                                                       

Location:                           In front of La Tercera Elementary School, 1600 block of Albin Way

Suspect(s):                          Lee Matthias, 58 year old female resident from Petaluma.  

Summary:          

On the listed date and time the Petaluma Police Department received a call from faculty at La Tercera Elementary School on Albin Way in the city of Petaluma. They reported that an employee of the school had just witnessed a blue Honda Accord driven by a white female in her 50’s drive up onto the curb in front of the school, then backed up and stopped in the middle of the roadway. The driver was contacted by school staff while it was stopped in the middle of the road. The drive was later identified as 58 year old Lee Matthias from Petaluma.

School staff spoke with Matthias and they told investigating officers that Matthias appeared to be intoxicated and had very slurred speech. School staff also noticed there was a small child who was later learned to be Matthias 3 year old nephew in the backseat of the Honda. Matthias drove away at this point from the school. It was believed she was there to pick up another family member.

Officers contacted her within moments at her home on the eastside of Petaluma. Matthias was asked by officers if she thought she was intoxicated when she drove to the school with her nephew in the car and she said “Probably”. Officers attempted to have Matthias perform field sobriety tests however due to her level of impairment she was not safely able to perform the tests. Matthias submitted to a preliminary breath test and the test showed Matthias blood alcohol level to be .293 BAC. nearly 4 times the legal limit to drive in the state of California.

Family members took custody of Matthias nephew. Matthias submitted to an evidentiary blood test. She was transported to the Sonoma County Jail and booked in on charges of DUI and child endangerment. Her bail was set at $30,000.

Prepared by:

Ron Klein;  Traffic Sergeant

Petaluma Police Department

969 Petaluma Boulevard North

Petaluma, Ca. 94952

707-778-4372 (main)

707-778-4596 (voice)

707-778-4476 (fax)

[email protected]