Rohnert Park woman rescued from burning car with girls appears in court

A Rohnert Park woman appeared in Marin County court Tuesday morning, facing felony charges involving a lengthy, late-night car pursuit, which ended when her vehicle caught fire and CHP officers rescued the woman and her two young daughters.

The CHP Tuesday released further details about the 25-mile pursuit late Friday night, including how CHP officers from Marin and Sonoma counties rushed to get the three from the car as flames licked up from under the car’s trunk.

Officers suspect Laura Corral-Jones, 24, was under the influence of drugs to a degree that she was incoherent and didn’t know where she was, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said Tuesday.

The pursuit began in San Rafael at about 11:40 p.m. with CHP trying to pull her over for allegedly speeding and tailgating. But Corral-Jones continued up Highway 101 into Sonoma County, where CHP officers had set out spike strips in two areas in Petaluma to try and stop her.

By the time she reached northern Petaluma, all four tires were punctured and shredding away. Still driving, her car wove across the highway lanes up the Cotati grade. South of Railroad Avenue the rims offered no more traction and the car stopped.

Four CHP officers, guns drawn, ordered Corral-Jones out of the car. She ignored the officers and continued pressing on the gas pedal, apparently attempting to drive off. The wheels threw up sparks, catching the car on fire.

When flames appeared, the officers rushed to the car and found two young children in the back seat; a 5-year-old girl was lying unbelted on the seat. Her one-year-old sister was in a child seat. Marin County officers Dan Russo and Dan Mitchell unbuckled the car seat and carried her out while Sonoma County Sgt. Jason Bahlman and Officer Matthew Barawed got the 5-year-old and the driver out.

The children were checked at Petaluma Valley Hospital for possible smoke inhalation. They were unharmed and were taken that night by Sonoma County Child Protective Services, said Marin County CHP Officer Patrick Roth.

Corral-Jones was arrested and booked into the Marin County Jail.

Tuesday she was in court for arraignment on three felony charges of evading arrest and endangering the two young girls, as well as misdemeanor charges including driving under the influence of drugs. Because the woman didn’t have an attorney, the judge appointed her a public attorney and postponed the arraignment until Thursday, Roth said.

Corral-Jones remained in custody Tuesday in lieu of $35,000 bail.

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