Courthouse sting nets six drivers on license violations

Santa Rosa police cited six people on suspicion of driving violations Wednesday during a courthouse sting aimed at keeping unlicensed and unsafe drivers off the road.

Officers followed eight people who had been ordered by a judge not to drive or informed that their driver’s license was suspended following a conviction. Their aim was to be sure the individual was not driving despite those orders, Sgt. Brad Conners said.

Only one of those people did not get into a car and drive away, Conners said.

Five had licenses that were either suspended or revoked. One person had never been issued a driver’s license. Another person who drove away was stopped by an officer and given a suspension on the spot, Conners said.

The arrests and citations could result in additional jail time, long driver’s license suspensions and financial penalties, Conners said.

Police held the sting between 8 a.m. and noon at Sonoma County Superior Court. The project was funded by a grant administered by the state Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.