The weekend storm kept police busy, with the CHP responding to 115 traffic collisions on Saturday and Sunday, according to a news release by spokesman Jon Sloat.
The most serious happened early Sunday morning at 2 a.m.
Arben Gogaj, 25, of Vallejo, was driving a Toyota Corolla westbound on Bodega Avenue outside Petaluma when he tried to pass another vehicle by crossing the double yellow lines, Sloat said. Gogaj entered the eastbound lane directly in the path of an oncoming Ford Windstar van driven by Allen Assefa, 62, of Santa Rosa, Sloat said. The vehicles struck head-on at about 55 mph and the crash blocked Bodega Avenue for about an hour.
Gogaj was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries including multiple broken bones and cuts. Assefa was rushed to Memorial with moderate injuries.
Alcohol does not appear to be a factor, Sloat said.
While emergency personnel were responding to that crash, a CHP sergeant on-scene saw a Toyota Tacoma drive over the double yellow lines and head eastbound in the westbound lane of traffic, right past the patrol car, Sloat said.
The sergeant stopped the driver, who was identified as Armando Mendoza, 31, of Petaluma, Sloat said. A records check revealed that Mendoza's license was suspended earlier in February for failing to appear on multiple traffic violations, Sloat said.
Mendoza was booked on charges of DUI and driving while suspended.
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