Petaluma man on stolen motorcycle arrested in Santa Rosa after crash

A wanted Petaluma man riding a stolen motorcycle caught the attention of police because he wasn’t wearing a helmet, leading to a chase, crash and an arrest, Santa Rosa police said Tuesday.

Justin John Sheets, 24, was arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of multiple felonies, including motorcycle theft and probation violation, Santa Rosa Sgt. Chad Heiser said.

Sheets was riding Monday afternoon on West Steele Lane near Coffey Lane when an officer tried to pull him over.

But the rider sped off, heading east, and within a few blocks crashed into a car.

Cyd Gibson was out for a walk and crossing West Steele Lane in a crosswalk when she said the rider ran the stop light and missed hitting her by a few feet.

“He went whipping by me all of a sudden. He glanced over his shoulder and smacked into that PT Cruiser,” Gibson said. The motorcycle “slid on its side and he got up and ran and a swarm of cop cars - they were right (after) him.”

The suspect ran from the crash and through the Guerneville Plaza shopping center to nearby Meadowbrook Court. An officer and police dog, and a police captain in the area also responded and Sheets was found and arrested.

He remained in the Sonoma County Jail Tuesday without bail.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.