Teen arrested downtown on narcotic charge

A 17-year-old male from Petaluma was arrested in the downtown theater district late Saturday night when a Petaluma police officer observed him trying to discard a plastic container holding 20 tablets of the narcotic Ecstasy, said Sgt. Mark Hunter.

While patrolling Water Street at 11 p.m., the officer spotted four minors behind Moredas Sporting Goods store. The 17-year-old male than tried to discard the container. He was arrested for possession for sale of narcotics, and during a booking search, the officer found he possessed over 2 grams of cocaine and approximately $500 in cash. He was subsequently booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall.

Mary Gorman, 18, was with the suspect, and was arrested for possession of several containers of alcoholic beverages.

Dan Johnson
djohnson@arguscourier.com

Woman arrested for stealing U-Haul truck

A Bakersfield woman was arrested after a U-Haul rental truck she allegedly stole turned up in a parking lot adjacent to the companys site at 720 Southpoint Blvd. on Saturday, said Sgt. Tara Salizzoni of the Petaluma Police Department.

U-Haul rental personnel at the Petaluma site notified police that they had discovered the truck, and that it had been stolen from a U-Haul business in Bakersfield. Petaluma police later searched the vehicle, and found items belonging to April Cummings, 49, of Bakersfield.

On July 2, Petaluma police found Cummings at a local shelter. She was arrested for stealing the truck and violating the terms of her parole, and was transported to Sonoma County Jail.

Dan Johnson
djohnson@arguscourier.com

Police boost downtown patrols this summer

In an effort to provide better security to the downtown area during the busy summer months, the Petaluma Police Department has reassigned its school resources officers and a DARE officer to patrol the area until school resumes during the week of Aug. 21, said Special Operations Lt. Danny Fish.

One of the resource officers will be reassigned on a part-time basis because he has summer school responsibilities. The other officers have altered their hours to better monitor downtown activity, and will work from around 2 p.m. to midnight, Tuesday through Friday each week.

The officers will utilize foot, vehicle and bicycle patrols, and focus on crimes of vandalism, skateboarding, alcohol and drug violations, and will concentrate on illegal activity involving juveniles.

Also, the Patrol Division has been deploying officers in the downtown area on foot and dual-purpose motorcycles to address the increase in petty crimes during the summer. The amount of time these officers will spend patrolling the downtown area will depend on the call volume in other areas of the city, Fish said.

Dan Johnson
djohnson@arguscourier.com

Petaluma teen drowns in Russian River

A teenage boy from Petaluma who didnt know how to swim drowned in the Russian River near Guerneville Thursday afternoon, said sources with the Sonoma County Sheriffs Department. Diego Garcia-Hernandez, 17, was with two friends at a beach area near the Hilton Park Family Campground at 1:15 p.m. when he misjudged the depth of the water he was in, and became submerged.

As several people tried to help Garcia-Hernandez, a girl who was with him ran to the campground managers office to explain what happened. Personnel from the sheriffs department, Forestville Fire Department, California Highway Patrol and California Department of Forestry helped to search for him, and at 3:20 p.m., found his body in about 15 feet of water.

Investigators speculate that Garcia-Hernandez may have been wading in the water when he unsuspectingly encountered a steep drop.

Dan Johnson
djohnson@arguscourier.com

Man stabbed during violent fight in house

A man was rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after being stabbed in the torso during a fight at a house on the 200 block of Bodega Avenue Tuesday afternoon, said Det. Sgt. Matthew Stapleton of the Petaluma Police Department.

Neighbors in the area reported to police at 5:39 p.m. that four men had been immersed in a violent fight in which automobile windows were broken as participants fled.

Officers learned that one of the participants had been stabbed, and began searching for two vehicles. They found one vehicle and identified two victims, both 19 years old, who are roommates at the residence. The victims claimed that a 16-year-old Petaluma boy and his father came to their Bodega Avenue home to settle a past issue, and that the youth attacked one of them shortly after he answered the door, causing minor injuries. The residents said the fight carried into the home, and when the 16-year-old boys father became involved, the boy who had answered the door grabbed a knife and stabbed him in the torso.

The suspects fled the home, and the victims threw objects at their car, trying to damage the windshield before pursuing them in their own vehicle.

Police officers located the suspects on Park Lane in east Petaluma, and verified that the father had stab wounds requiring immediate medical attention. He was taken to SRMH, and treated for his injuries. The 16-year-old suspect was arrested and transported to the Petaluma Police Department, where he was interviewed and eventually released after being given a citation.

The parties involved in the fracas provided information that police deemed incomplete and/or inconsistent. Police werent able to determine the reason why the father and son went to the house, but believe that the stabbing was done in defense of the sons attack.

Evidence found and recovered from the victims residence indicates that the dispute may have been drug related, Stapleton said, adding that the investigation will be referred to the District Attorneys Office for consideration of additional charges. The identity of the victims is being withheld to provide for their safety.

Dan Johnson
djohnson@arguscourier.com

In-N-Out Burger opens on Lakeville Highway

Hamburger fans camped out in tents Wednesday night in anticipation of the opening of a new In-N-Out Burger at 1010 Lakeville Highway Thursday morning.

The popular chain restaurant bills itself as offering fresher and healthier items than many other fast-food restaurants.

"Our food doesn't contain additives, fillers or preservatives," said Carl Van Fleet, vice president of planning at In-N-Out Burger's office in Irvine. "Our meat patties are delivered at least every other day, and we prepare our produce right in front of you.

"We've emphasized quality and freshness ever since our first restaurant opened in 1948."

Argus-Courier staff
argus@arguscourier.com