CBS News in the Bay Area reports that a suspected driver struck a pedestrian, punched an eyewitness, and kicked a police officer in an incident in Petaluma on Saturday night.
Officials say the crash happened just after 11:00 p.m. in the 100 block of Kentucky Street near the intersection of Kentucky and Washington Street in Petaluma. The driver of a gray BMW sedan was traveling northbound on Kentucky Street when it approached a crosswalk at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle collided with a pedestrian that was already in the crosswalk. The driver, rather than stopping, continued on Kentucky until they crashed into another car. The collision caused the BMW to veer off the street and hit a utility pole and a tree.
The driver of the BMW attempted to flee the scene, causing another crash between two additional uninvolved vehicles on Washington Street.
Police say that a nearby eyewitness attempted to help the driver, 22-year-old Evan Weise, but was then punched by the suspect for their efforts.
Police arrived a short time later and attempted to take Weise into custody, but he was uncooperative, kicking one officer. Police finally managed to subdue the suspect and put him into a restraint device.
Both Weise and the pedestrian were taken to an area hospital for treatment. Authorities say that the pedestrian suffered only minor injuries.
The Petaluma Police Department issued a statement on Sunday saying that they believe that Weise was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident.
After treatment, Weise was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of DUI causing injury, hit and run causing injury, and assaulting a police officer.
