Convicted felon arrested after assaulting Petaluma officer

The 28-year-old man, who police say is a known Sureño gang member, struck an officer before trying to flee on foot after a reported neighbor dispute.|

A Petaluma man on parole for attempted murder was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of assaulting an officer and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm by a felon.

Jacob James Lanatti, 28, of Petaluma was detained after a brief foot chase and scuffle with officers, police reported.

The fight resulted in an injury to one officer, who was punched in the face by Lanatti and suffered a broken hand while helping subdue the man, police said. The officer was treated and released from Petaluma Valley Hospital.

The arrest, in the ?100 block of East Court, stemmed from what turned out to be a neighborhood dispute involving at lest 12 people, police said.

Officers responded to the area about 5:15 p.m. on reports of armed men yelling for residents to come outside a home before throwing a rock through a window and kicking in the front door, police said.

Officers stopped a white pickup leaving the area. Lanatti, the driver, initially refused to obey commands or park the pickup, police said. When they removed him from the truck, he assaulted the officer and fled, police said.

In the resulting scuffle, the two responding officers saw what turned out to be a loaded semi-automatic firearm on the ground between Lanatti’s legs, police said.

Lanatti, who police described as a known Sureño gang member, was also found in possession of a knife, police said. He faces charges that include six felony counts, including violating parole stemming from a 2009 stabbing that led to a no-contest plea and time in prison.

His bail in Sonoma County Jail was set at $50,000, with a court appearance scheduled for Monday afternoon.

A second, unidentified suspect entered the East Court home at the center of the dispute and assaulting a female resident, police said. A yard-by-yard search failed to turn up that suspect, who remained at large. Anyone with information was asked to contact the Petaluma Police Department at 707-778-4372.

The incident blocked the northbound lanes of Lakeville Street Thursday evening, and traffic was diverted away from the area.

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