CHP: Drunken driver found stopped on rural road, wanted to pray

The Petaluma man, stopped Tuesday, was estimated to have a blood-alcohol percentage of more than three times the legal limit, said the CHP.|
RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Patrolling rural roads west of Petaluma Tuesday morning, a CHP officer came upon a stopped car with a suspected drunken driver who said he was looking for a place to pray, according to the CHP.

At about 9:40 a.m. a motorcycle officer riding on Bodega Avenue spotted the car on Middle Two Rock Road, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.

The officer approached the driver, Scott Messmer, 52, of Petaluma, and asked why he was halted in the roadway. The officer reported the man said he was looking for an appropriate place to pray.

Messmer, who appeared to be quite intoxicated, failed sobriety tests and was estimated to be more than three times the legal blood-alcohol percentage limit of 0.08, Sloat said.

Messmer also had a suspended driver’s license stemming from a suspected DUI arrest in April.

Messmer was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and driving with a suspended license.

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