Police say Rohnert Park smoke shop employee ran down 15-year-old marijuana pipe thief

A Rohnert Park smoke shop employee was arrested Thursday after he drove into a fleeing teenage boy he accused of stealing a marijuana pipe, police said.

Adam Richardson, 31, of Windsor, had been searching that evening for the boy, 15, and his friend, 14, after confronting them earlier at the Commerce Boulevard shop where they walked in wearing masks and took the pipe, Rohnert Park police said.

Richardson found the pair near the tennis courts at Alicia Park.

As he accelerated towards them in a Jeep Wrangler, the teens ran west towards the back of John Reed Elementary School, police said.

Richardson turned, driving through the grass as he chased the boys, police said. When he finally caught up with them behind a classroom, Richardson slammed the Jeep into the 15-year-old boy, who had pushed his friend out of the way, police said.

The boy rolled up over the hood and front fender before hitting his head on the asphalt, police said.

They said the teen was able to get up, and he and his friend jumped a nearby fence and raced to a friend’s house.

Police said it was the 15-year-old boy’s mother who took the teen to the hospital, where he was transferred to the trauma unit and kept overnight.

Officers arrested Richardson at his home in Windsor.

He was booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

The two teens also were arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and conspiracy to commit a crime, according to police.

The 14-year-old boy also had an outstanding warrant, police said. They were booked into the Sonoma County Juvenile Detention Center.