A traffic stunt in Petaluma became an arrest yesterday when a driver was caught recklessly performing a "burnout" in a busy intersection. Petaluma Police Department reported that their Traffic Sergeant witnessed the incident at around 1:04 p.m. near E. Washington Street and Lakeville Street, where a gold-colored Ford Mustang created a visibility-obscuring plume of smoke across the intersection.
The sergeant decided to intervene and initiate a traffic stop quickly. Angel Ruano Ordaz, aged 22, was identified as the driver who now faces charges of reckless driving and exhibition of speed. According to the Petaluma Police Department report, after being initially arrested, Ordaz admitted to having a concealed firearm in the vehicle.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers found an unsecured handgun in the center console, along with a loaded magazine resting against it. This dangerous find led to an additional charge against Ordaz for carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.
Post-arrest, Ordaz's vehicle was impounded, and he was booked into the Sonoma County Jail with the listed charges compounded by his admission. For any media inquiries, the Police Department has directed communication to Lieutenant M. Parnow, who can provide further detail on the case, reference PE24-0004462.
