Woman accused of DUI, hit-and-run after crash outside Petaluma home
PETALUMA – A woman was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run after police said she was involved a crash outside a home in Petaluma Friday night.
Shortly after 8:10 p.m., officers and firefighters responded to the 300 block of Stony Point Road on reports of a vehicle into a home. When police arrived, they found a SUV had struck a fence and another fence was damaged.
Police said the suspect had attempted to leave the scene in the SUV, but the vehicle was stuck in the fence posts. Meanwhile, a witness spotted the suspect fleeing on foot to her home.
Officers found the suspect and conducted an investigation. Police said she had a blood alcohol level of 0.19%, more than twice the legal limit.
The suspect, identified as 66-year-old Pamela Long, was arrested for DUI, hit-and-run and resisting arrest.
Police said Friday that DUI arrests are up significantly in the community with 263 arrests since the start of 2022, compared to 151 during the same period last year.
With the holidays approaching, officers reminded drivers to stay sober behind the wheel.
"During the week of Thanksgiving, families are traveling farther, and traffic is up by 53 percent across the country. Nearly five times the number of drinking-related fatalities happen during the period between Wednesday before and Thanksgiving than on any other holiday," police said.
According to jail records, Long is expected to appear in court Tuesday.