On Sunday night, destruction filled the streets of Petaluma, with debris left in the wake of an intoxicated driver. Blatantly fleeing the scene of a collision, Rafael Lopez-Perez left a distinctive trail that ultimately led to his arrest, shining a light on the city's ongoing struggle with alcohol-related traffic incidents. Petaluma Police Department reported on the incident.
Rafael Lopez-Perez was driving under the influence around 10:43 p.m. when he collided with a parked vehicle, sending parts of his blue sedan falling off into the street and gouge marks trail on the roadway. According to The Press Democrat, a witness described the intoxicated driver attempting to flee the scene at a slow speed. Despite his best efforts, however, Lopez-Perez couldn't escape the visible marks he left on his path.
Arriving officers were able to follow the gouge marks in the roadway from the scene of the collision to where the suspect vehicle was located on Douglas Street. Upon locating the vehicle, Officers encountered only one subject, Lopez-Perez. His alcohol intoxication and impairment were evident, showing objective signs as he performed field sobriety tests. After deeming it was unsafe for Lopez-Perez to operate a vehicle, the investigating officer placed him under arrest. Petaluma Police Department later learned that his blood alcohol content (BAC) was over two times the legal limit. Consequently, he was transported to the Sonoma County Jail and booked on multiple charges.
