Petaluma police seek help identifying man wanted in assault of officers

Petaluma Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man they say stole a car and assaulted two police officers on Sunday.

Around 12:41 p.m., a 911 caller at a business reported that a customer’s car had been stolen near the 300 block of Lakeville Street.

Nearby police officers, using a witness’s description of the car, spotted a man who appeared to be throwing items into the car’s trunk on Hopper Street.

Responding officers attempted to detain the man, but he fought with them causing one of them to fall to the ground, according to a news release issued Sunday evening. She suffered minor injuries, officials added.

The man broke free of the officers, got into the stolen car and tried to drive off. Police then boxed the car in with their vehicles in to prevent the man from driving away.

In response, the man “intentionally rammed” the occupied police vehicles, according to the release. He was able to get the car free and sped south along Hopper Street.

Neither of the officers in the police cars were injured and the cars sustained moderate damage, officials said.

The man headed toward the Petaluma River while police chased him. Authorities said they lost sight of him near a construction site and later found the stolen car crashed into a chain link fence. It was no longer driveable.

Witnesses told police where the man was last seen and responding officers set up a perimeter.

Police later received a call from a man who reported his bike had been stolen. The man said he chased the thief but lost sight of him. The victim’s description matched that of the man wanted for assaulting officers, officials said.

Authorities continued to look for the man with the help of a Petaluma Police K9 officer, a Sonoma County Sheriff’s K9 deputy and a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew.

Police published a photo of the man captured by an officer’s body-worn camera.

Officials are advising anyone who sees the man not to approach him and to contact Petaluma police at 707-778-4326 or ppdtips@cityofpetaluma.org.

You can reach Staff Writer Mya Constantino at mya.constantino@pressdemocrat.com. @searchingformya on Twitter.