Pedestrian Killed In Petaluma DUI Crash; Driver Has Pending Court Date From Previous DUI Arrest

and PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- A man already facing charges in a 2018 DUI arrest was arrested for felony DUI vehicular manslaughter after a pedestrian was hit and killed in an intersection in Petaluma Tuesday evening, police said.

Petaluma police said the collision happened at about 7 p.m. at South McDowell Blvd. and Baywood Drive, which is a roundabout intersection.

Officers arrived to find two off-duty law enforcement officers and an off-duty nurse giving lifesaving medical care to the pedestrian, and a 2011 Toyota Prius which had come to rest in the center of the roundabout with the driver inside.

Fire department personnel took the 53-year-old man to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. His identity was withheld until his next of kin could be notified.

Police identified the driver of the vehicle as 41-year-old James T. Watkins of Cotati. Watkins was uninjured but was transported to a local hospital for DUI testing and arrested.

Investigators determined the Prius was heading southbound on McDowell Blvd. and drove onto the sidewalk just before the roundabout at Baywood Dr., hitting the pedestrian who was standing on the sidewalk.

Watkins was booked at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. He already has a pending court date from a 2018 DUI collision arrest in Sonoma County.

Police asked anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Traffic Officer Mike Pierre at 707-781-1208.