Police: DUI suspect clocked driving 125 mph through Santa Rosa, blames turkey

Some people will go farther - and faster - than others to ensure that their Thanksgiving turkey comes out right.

A Santa Rosa man was arrested Thursday morning after CHP officers clocked him driving his BMW 5-Series through Santa Rosa on Highway 101 at 125 mph, Sgt. Allan Capurro said. When asked why he was speeding, he told officers he was hurrying home from the Graton Resort and Casino because he didn’t want his turkey to burn.

Two officers, one in training, caught William Harvey Thomas, 59, speeding north on Highway 101 just south of Baker Avenue while they were conducting radar speed enforcement, Capurro said. It was shortly after 9 a.m.

They caught up with and stopped him at Highway 12 and Dutton Avenue.

During the traffic stop, it was clear to officers that Thomas was on drugs, Capurro said. A trained drug recognition expert evaluated Thomas and found him to be under the influence of both stimulants and narcotics, the sergeant said.

Thomas was arrested on suspicion of DUI and booked into county jail.

“It’s really dangerous to be going that fast through the central corridor (of Santa Rosa),” Capurro said. “Getting him off the road was a huge thing for us.”

Staff Writer Jamie Hansen blogs about education at extracredit.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach her at 521-5205 or jamie.hansen@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jamiehansen.