Santa Rosa man arrested on suspicion of deadly DUI collision
Police in Santa Rosa on Monday night arrested a man suspected in a fatal DUI collision near the Montgomery Village neighborhood, according to authorities.
According to the press release issued by the Santa Rosa Police Department, two officers were conducting a DUI investigation on 7th Street just west of E St. shortly after 10 p.m. Monday evening when they observed a grey Nissan Maxima driving north on E Street at a high rate of speed. One of the officers got in his marked patrol vehicle and pursued the suspect vehicle as it drove east on College Ave.
The officer attempted to follow the vehicle as it continued to speed on city streets, but lost sight of the Nissan until he spotted the vehicle in the distance traveling east on Montgomery Dr. The driver of the Nissan Maxima entered the intersection of Montgomery Drive and Farmers Lane and collided with a silver Toyota Camry as it was traveling north on Farmers Ln. through the same intersection.
The two vehicles came to a stop on the property of St. Eugene's Cathedral at 2323 Montgomery Dr. following the crash, police said.
The adult male driver and sole occupant of the Toyota was pronounced deceased at the scene by paramedics, according to authorities. The male driver and sole occupant of the Nissan, identified as 21-year-old Santa Rosa resident Aaron Rodriguez Hernandez, was transported to an area hospital and treated for moderate injuries sustained during the collision.
Police said after his release from the hospital, Rodriguez Hernandez was booked into Sonoma County Jail by CHP for vehicular manslaughter, DUI drugs with injury, driving without a license and violation of probation. The investigation into the deadly collision is ongoing with the California Highway Patrol as the lead agency, police said. CHP will release additional information regarding the investigation including the cause of the collision as it becomes available. The Sonoma County Coroner will release the identity of the victim when the information becomes available.
