SONOMA (CBS SF/BCN) – Weeks before promotional fares were set to expire, Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit approved a measure to extend promotional fares through the end of summer. The ongoing promotional fares will last through Aug. 31. The board also approved making parking free at lots run by the agency, also known as SMART, located at the Larkspur, Novato Hamilton, Novato San Marin, Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Sonoma County Airport stations. The price had been $2 per day. The promotional transit fares were introduced May 24, 2021, set at $1.50 weekdays for each zone traveled, with a discounted ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF) – Police in Petaluma are warning residents about unauthorized pop-up COVID-19 testing sites, after a suspicious site was found operating in the North Bay community last month. Between January 15 and January 26, officers said they received multiple calls about a testing site located at 320 North McDowell Boulevard, which is the same address as Lucchesi Park. When police visited the site, it appeared that the location had the proper documents and was being run by Crestview Clinical Laboratory. The department’s Code Enforcement Officer then contacted Crestview Clinical Laborator ..read more

PETALUMA (BCN) — A motorcycle rider who allegedly fled from a California Highway Patrol officer in Petaluma and later crashed was arrested Sunday night for evading and DUI. At about 10:15 p.m. Sunday, an officer spotted a man riding a motorcycle without a license plate and tried to pull him over on Lakeville Highway, according to the CHP. The rider fled, drove onto state Highway 101 heading north and allegedly accelerated to speeds over 100 mph as he passed the East Washington Street exit, where the pursuit was called off, CHP officials said in a news release Monday. The rider was soon spotted ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF/BCN) – Fire officials said that an abandoned home that has been used as shelter by Petaluma’s homeless residents burned to the ground early Monday morning. The fire was reported just before 5 a.m. and when crews arrived, they found the structure already engulfed in flames with part of the house collapsed, according to the Petaluma Fire Department. The house sits on a large vacant lot at the end of Cedar Grove Parkway and is normally accessed by crossing the nearby SMART Train tracks but routine maintenance activity prevented fire trucks from getting onto the property, fire off ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF/BCN) – A one-alarm fire in Petaluma early Thursday morning resulted in one person being hospitalized with smoke inhalation, fire officials said. The fire was reported at 3:24 a.m. in the 1400 block of Technology Lane, where crews arrived to find a mattress fire in a unit on the third floor of a three-story building, according to the Petaluma Fire Department. The flames had been mostly extinguished by the unit’s automatic sprinkler system, and firefighters brought it under control within 15 minutes. The person suffering from what fire officials called “mild” smoke inhalation wa ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF/BCN) – Petaluma police asked the public for help searching for three suspects who pointed a gun at people from a blue Toyota Prius in two different locations Monday afternoon. At 1:36 p.m., officers responded to the area of Howard Street and Western Avenue, where someone said he was walking his dog when a light blue Prius pulled up with three men inside. The front seat passenger made a derogatory statement about the Raiders football jersey the man was wearing and then pointed a handgun at him, police said. Then shortly before 2 p.m., another call came in by someone at the 7-El ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF) – Police in Petaluma have arrested a man on multiple charges, including resisting arrest, following a traffic stop early Tuesday morning. Shortly before 5 a.m., police received a call from a woman who said she was cut off by a driver in a Mercedes Benz, who appeared to be drinking from a bottle. The driver then pulled over and was seen staggering out of the vehicle. When officers arrived, the driver then re-entered the vehicle and drove away. Police were able to find the Mercedes and conducted a traffic stop on the 700 block of Caulfield Drive. The driver was asked to exit th ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF) – Petaluma Police arrested a 42-year-old man Sunday who reportedly exposed himself to a 16-year-old and attempted to force the victim to touch him, according to police. At around 4:45 p.m. Sunday, police received a report of an indecent exposure on Water Street in Petaluma’s downtown. The suspect allegedly exposed his genitalia to the 16-year-old victim near the “pipe bridge” and after revealing himself, the suspect grabbed the victim’s hand and forced it onto his exposed genitalia. The victim fled and reported the incident to an adult. Officers arrived on scene and later det ..read more

PETALUMA (BCN) — Police in Petaluma are following up on new leads generated by DNA evidence collected after a woman went missing in 1997. New DNA evidence was discovered in some of the evidence that had been collected during the initial investigation into the disappearance of Janie June Coe, according a news release issued Thursday by the Petaluma Police Department. Police said the discovery has led to new witness contacts and investigative leads as detectives continue to follow-up on this active investigation. Police have also obtained a computer-enhanced image of what Coe may look like ..read more

PETALUMA (CBS SF/BCN) – Police arrested a 20-year-old man early Wednesday morning near Rocky Memorial Dog Park for possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, according to officers. At 2:23 a.m., police received a report of a disturbance in the parking lot of an apartment complex near the dog park. According to police, upon arrival officers located the vehicle and made contact with the occupant, later identified as the suspect. One of the officers observed a loaded Glock handgun on the passenger side of the vehicle, according to police. The man was detained and the loaded firearm was retrie ..read more