Full Notification

At 4:55 PM today, Petaluma PD Traffic Officers responded to a report of a vehicle collision into a house on St. Francis Drive at St. Joseph Way.   Officers arrived on scene and found a Mazda 3 on the lawn of the house.  The driver was determined to be 17 years old and did not have a driver's license.  Witnesses reported the vehicle was speeding southbound on St. Francis when it lost control and collided with the side of the house.   No one in the house was injured and the house sustained minimal damage.  The juvenile was reportedly uninjured but was seeking their own medical attention with a guardian.  The juvenile will be cited for driving while unlicensed and any other vehicle code violations after the investigation is complete. 
 
Unsafe speed is one of the top causes of collisions in Petaluma.  Since January 1 of 2021, 83 traffic collisions were due to vehicles traveling at an unsafe speed.   This means drivers are exceeding the posted speed limit or traveling during conditions where the speed is unsafe, such as inclement weather.  The Police Department has recently reported about an increase in DUI arrests and DUI collisions in 2022, but there has also been an increase in overall collisions.  From January 1, 2021, to February 28, 2021, the department investigated 46 traffic collisions, with 14 injuries.   During the same time period for 2022, the department has investigated 72 collisions with 27 injuries. 
 
The Petaluma Police Department Traffic Unit reminds drivers and passengers to always wear your seat belt and pay attention to the speed limits in our community. 
 
If anyone witnessed the collision, contact Traffic Officer Dave Hutchinson at 707-778-4372.  Media inquiries may be directed to Lieutenant Tim Lyons at [email protected] or phone 707-778-4372.  Case #22-865