Graton Man Arrested After Ramming Motorcycle Officer During Police Pursuit In Santa Rosa
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- Petaluma police arrested a Graton man who rammed a police motorcycle officer during a pursuit in the Santa Rosa area Tuesday evening.
The pursuit began when Officer Paul Accornero tried to stop the driver of a Cadillac sedan that was weaving and recklessly changing lanes on northbound U.S. Highway 101 around 6 p.m., Petaluma police Sgt. Ron Klein said.
The driver, later identified as Olympus Pereira, 22, of Graton, continued driving north to the Highway 101 and state Highway 12 area of Santa Rosa, running a red light, speeding, nearly hitting other vehicles and driving on the wrong side of the road to escape, Klein said.
Accornero requested help from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office as Pereira drove west on Highway 12 to the Stony Point Road intersection and tried to drive the Cadillac between a Honda and a pickup that were stopped there in heavy traffic, Klein said.
All three vehicles were damaged in the crash that caused Pereira's Cadillac to get stuck between the two vehicles. Pereira ignored Accornero's orders and rammed the Cadillac in reverse into Accornero's motorcycle, Klein said.
Pereira then collided with the Honda and pickup to get past them and turned right onto Stony Point Road where he collided with another vehicle that left the scene before police could contact the driver, Klein said.
Pereira stopped in the northbound lanes of Stony Point Road and ran toward a shopping center with Accornero in pursuit. Accornero caught up with Pereira in the shopping center and took him into custody at gunpoint, Klein said.
Pereira was found in possession of a loaded Ruger .45 caliber magazine and 13 bindles of cocaine each weighing 1.3 grams, Klein said. Pereira would not disclose the location of the Ruger firearm.
A female passenger who was in Pereira's Cadillac drove away from Stony Point Road and Petaluma police are looking for the vehicle—a 2003 white, Cadillac CTS 4-door sedan with a license plate 7BMG979, Klein said. Anyone who sees it is asked to call their local police agency.
The vehicles in the incident sustained minor to moderate damage and none of the drivers were injured, Klein said. Accornero suffered a bruised right knee that did not require treatment.
Pereira was on active parole for assault with a deadly firearm, Klein said. He was booked in the Sonoma County Jail for evading a police officer, possession of a controlled substance for sale, felon in possession of ammunition, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and violating parole.
Pereira is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court.
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