DUI arrests skyrocket during the holidays

A rash of eight DUI arrests last weekend have the Petaluma police warning residents to be safe and sober while driving, or risk the consequences.

“We put out officers with the specific job of looking for DUIs,” said Lt. Danny Fish of the Petaluma Police Department. “We’re doing our best to protect the people who aren’t drinking and driving.”

Typically, the number of DUI arrests spikes during the holiday season, when more people are out celebrating. Last weekend was a prime example, when Petaluma police arrested eight impaired drivers within city limits, while the California Highway Patrol arrested another 12 across the county.

In Petaluma, three car crashes on Sunday alone were linked to suspected drunk drivers.

The first of Petaluma’s weekend DUI arrests took place on Friday at 11:44 p.m., when Sydney Peterson-Hernandez, 20, of Petaluma, was stopped on Lakeville Street at Caulfield. After blowing a .19 percent, more than twice the legal limit, he was booked into the county jail.

About half an hour later, Francis Felice, 27, of Petaluma was arrested for driving under the influence just a few blocks away on Lakeville Street at East Washington Street, and taken to the county jail. A mere 20 minutes after that, Ryan Newman, 24, of Petaluma was also stopped on East Washington Street. After his preliminary blood alcohol reading was .20 percent, he was booked into the Sonoma County jail.

On Saturday just before 8 p.m., Elaido Rodas, 57, of Petaluma, was stopped at Petaluma Boulevard North and Corona Avenue. He was cited and booked at the Petaluma Police Department when his blood alcohol level came in at .14 percent.

Thirty minutes later, a driver reported that Yervon Agobian, 41, of Petaluma was driving erratically. When officers caught up with him, they discovered he was intoxicated and arrested him for DUI.

Russell Eyre, 19, of Petaluma is suspected of causing a collision at 1:06 a.m. on Sunday morning. Police said the accident happened on Caulfield Lane and St. Francis Drive, and that Eyre fled the scene. He was later arrested near his home, where officers found he had been injured in the crash and called for medical aid.

After his preliminary blood alcohol level came in at .07, and because he is under the legal drinking age, he was booked at the Petaluma Police Department and given a citation to appear in court for the DUI and hit and run.

At 2:19 a.m. on Sunday, Elijah Namajanja, 34, of Petaluma, allegedly caused another collision in the 100 block of Western Avenue. He was later arrested for DUI and booked into the Sonoma County jail.

The final accident took place at 1:34 p.m. on Sunday when Julius Friascarrion, 19, of Fairfield, crashed his car into a fire hydrant and a parked car on Lakeville Highway at Casa Grande Road.

He fled the scene, but police found him naked in his vehicle with a bottle of alcohol that was half full. His blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit. He was arrested and booked in the Sonoma County jail.

Local law enforcement, including the California Highway Patrol, will continue their maximum enforcement through New Year’s Day.

(Contact Emily Charrier at emily.charrier@argus courier.com)