Full Notification

For Immediate Release
Monday, February 20, 2017
Issued By: Sergeant Jeremy Walsh
Petaluma PD
707.778.4372

Incident: 2800.1 (a) CVC and 14601.1(a) CVC- Evading a Police Officer and Drive with a Suspended License
Report Number: PPD 17-0886
Occurred Date : February 18, 2017
Occurred Time: 11:52 AM
Location: Creekside Dr. and Maria Dr., Petaluma, CA
Suspect(s): Jason Roy Thomas, 47 years old, Napa Resident

Incident Summary
On February 18, 2017 at approximately 11:52 am, Petaluma Police Department Officer Eduardo Estrella was conducting traffic enforcement at the intersection on Creekside Dr. and Maria Dr. The intersection is located in a residential neighborhood and is controlled by stop signs. Officer Estrella observed a copper colored Chevy truck traveling northbound on Maria Dr. approaching the intersection. Officer Estrella observed the vehicle slow to an estimated speed of approximately 10 mph and continued through the intersection failing to stop at the marked limit line. Officer Estrella positioned his fully marked patrol vehicle behind the suspect vehicle in anticipation of conducting a traffic stop for the stop sign violation. Officer Estrella activated his emergency lights and sirens and attempted to pull the suspect vehicle over at the intersection of East Washington Street at North McDowell Blvd. The driver of the suspect vehicle, Jason Thomas, failed to yield and led Officer Estrella on a slow speed pursuit. Additional Petaluma Police Officers joined the pursuit and assisted in the attempts to pull over Thomas.

The pursuit lasted approximately 11 minutes and traveled 7 miles. The path of the pursuit was on some surface streets within city limits, briefly on southbound Highway 101, continued on Lakeville Highway and then ended at the intersection of Lakeville Highway and Highway 116 (Stage Gulch Rd.). Once at the intersection of Lakeville Hwy and Highway 116 (Stage Gulch Rd.), Thomas stopped his vehicle and was taken into custody without incident.

A records check was conducted and it was learned Thomas’s driving privilege was revoked from a prior traffic related offense. Thomas’s vehicle was subsequently impounded and he was later booked at the Sonoma County Jail on the above mentioned charges.