Firefighters rescue driver, dog after Highway 101 crash near Petaluma

Firefighters rescued a driver and her dog who were briefly trapped in their car after it flipped down an embankment on Highway 101 just north of Petaluma on Thursday morning.

The crash was reported at about 7:30 a.m. and caused backups during heavy commute traffic.

Firefighters from Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District had to smash the windshield of the gray sedan to remove the woman and her dog, a pit bull mix, said Battalion Chief Mike Weihman.

The woman suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The firefighters used a hose strap as a leash to control the dog and safely remove the animal from the car, Capt. Jimmy Bernal said. “She was very mellow. It was easy to control her,” Bernal said.

The woman was on her way to work at a local kennel, so instead of turning her dog over to animal control officers, Weihman took the pet to the kennel where she could be looked after, he said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.