A man in Santa Rosa who was found sleeping in his car at a gas pump allegedly backed his car up and slammed into a police vehicle, in addition to injuring a sergeant.
Just before 2:30 am, a patrol sergeant from the Santa Rosa Police Department was working the graveyard shift, and he stopped to grab a cup of coffee at a local 7-Eleven gas station and convenience store.
When he walked out of the store, he reported that he saw someone in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in front of one of the gas pumps. He believed the man was unconscious.
The sergeant reported that he tried to rouse the man, but he was unsuccessful. He opened the car door to continue trying to wake the driver, and he asked for backup at the scene.
Another officer arrived and opened the passenger door.
When the man in the car woke up, the police asked the man to get out of the vehicle, but he did not cooperate.
According to reports, the driver turned on the ignition and began to back up while the sergeant and officer were on opposite sides of the car with the doors ajar.
The man reportedly hit the gas and went in reverse. The sergeant was knocked down and his hip, knee, and hand were injured in the incident.
The other officer was not injured, but the driver reportedly slammed their car into the police vehicle parked behind them and damaged it before driving away.
Using the video collected from the officer’s body worn camera and surveillance from the store, the authorities were able to identify the person they believed was the suspect.
The following afternoon, the police went to the man’s address, and he surrendered himself to them.
The suspect was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. He may face charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and a felony probation violation. He was released from custody after posting bail.
It was reported that the injured sergeant is recovering at home.
If you or someone you love is suspected of an assault or battery offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.