Driver arrested after crossing Rohnert Park golf course to evade police

A man who drove his pickup across Foxtail Golf Course on Saturday in an effort to evade police was arrested after ramming an officer’s vehicle, Rohnert Park officials said.

Daniel Packett, 49, fled after getting into a fistfight with his brother at a home on the 5700 block of Dexter Circle, biting him on the hand and vandalizing his motorcycle, Rohnert Park police said.

When officers were called to the scene around 2:15 p.m., the Rohnert Park resident drove off in his pickup and turned onto the course at Dorian Drive, driving north along the 16th fairway, across the course and onto Golf Course Drive, Sgt. Eric Matzen said.

“We did not pursue him onto the course,” Matzen said.

Officers briefly lost sight of Packett but caught up with him in the area of Mountain View Avenue, where they attempted to stop him. He drove around them and fled north onto Santa Rosa Avenue at speeds up to 90 mph, Matzen said.

He then turned into the Tower Market parking lot at Todd Road, got blocked in, and when he tried to exit onto southbound Santa Rosa Avenue, he collided with a responding officer’s patrol vehicle, Matzen said. The collision caused significant damage to the police cruiser’s left front corner, he said.

Both drivers were treated for minor injuries at local hospitals. The officer, whose name was not disclosed, is resting at home. Packett was booked into Sonoma County Jail.

Melody Poff of Redwood Valley and her husband, Troy, were out shopping when they saw the commotion and pulled over near Tower Market.

“It looked like a television show,” she said. “They were skidding all around.”

After hitting the officer’s vehicle, Packett’s white pickup slid into their Chevy Silverado, causing minor damage, Poff said.

Packett was booked into jail on suspicion of multiple felony charges, including DUI with injury, assault on a peace officer, evading arrest, vandalism, and battery with serious bodily injury, misdemeanor DUI and driving on a suspended license.

In addition, Packett had an existing no-bail warrant for violating one of his multiple probations, according to jail officials.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 707-521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com.? On Twitter @srcitybeat.