CHP nabs 2 DUI suspects in separate Sonoma County incidents

A Sonoma County visitor who’d been winetasting Saturday apparently got lost looking for Windsor and ended up getting her car stuck on railroad tracks north of Healdsburg, leading to her arrest on suspected drunken driving, the CHP said Monday.

In another case, a Santa Rosa man who showed up at the Rohnert Park CHP office to claim an impounded vehicle was arrested when officers suspected he was under the influence of marijuana. He also turned out to be wanted by the law.

CHP Officer Jon Sloat Monday said the woman wine taster was arrested after a 10:10 p.m. Saturday call to railroad tracks near Geyserville Avenue and Independence Lane.

Officers found a Ford Focus high-centered on tracks, with the motor running and the headlights on. Driver Kimberly Matthews, 29, of San Marcos, told officers that after winetasting she’d become lost while headed for a Windsor address, Sloat said.

While driving on Geyserville Avenue, she’d turned onto private property then onto the railroad tracks and driven along the tracks until she came to a bridge railing and her car got stuck, Sloat said in a news release.

The woman failed sobriety tests and was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and driving on railroad tracks. Matthews was released from the Sonoma County Jail after posting bail.

Santa Rosa resident John Telesmanic, 23, walked into the CHP office in Rohnert Park late Friday afternoon, saying he wanted to get a vehicle that had been previously impounded. Sloat said the man’s speech was slurred, he had red, droopy eyes and smelled strongly of marijuana.

An officer checked on whether the man’s companion had a valid driver’s license – as she would then drive the initial vehicle. A license check showed Julia Smith, 26, of Santa Rosa had a suspended license with multiple violations, Sloat said. Officers also found the BMW the two had arrived in smelled distinctly of marijuana and inside they found two small baggies of marijuana in the car.

Officers learned Telesmanic was wanted on a $10,000 arrest warrant for failing to come to court and driving with a suspended license.

He was taken into custody for the warrant and suspected driving under the influence of marijuana and she was cited and the BMW was impounded for 30 days.

Telesmanic was released from the Sonoma County Jail after posting bail.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.