Deadly Santa Rosa crash leads to murder charge against DUI suspect
SANTA ROSA -- The alleged driver of a vehicle that careened into a tree Saturday afternoon, claiming the life of a passenger, was being held on DUI and murder charges.
The California Highway Patrol said the crash took place at approximately 3:47 p.m. on Geyserville Ave south of Zanzi Lane. Officers were dispatched to the scene and discovered that a vehicle had crashed into a tree, ejecting an occupant. Two other occupants in the vehicle had fled the scene on foot.
The ejected passenger had major injuries and was unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene.
The CHP, Sonoma Sheriff and Cloverdale police searched the area for the missing suspects. Two males were soon located walking on Asti Road and Dutcher Creek Road.
Investigators confirmed that the two males were the missing driver and passenger from the crash.
The alleged driver was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail on felony DUI, murder -- based on multiple prior DUI convictions, felony hit and run, gross vehicular manslaughter and resisting arrest charges.
The identity of the crash victim was being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The identity of the suspect was not released.
