Petaluma man crashes truck into several houses, passes out: police

(KRON) — A Petaluma man was heavily intoxicated when he crashed his truck into parked cars and numerous houses, including one house that was struck twice, before he passed out behind the wheel with the engine still running, according to police.

The collisions happened just before 8 p.m. Wednesday and stretched across three blocks. Police Department Dispatch Center began receiving 911 calls from witnesses reporting an extremely erratic driver.

Police identified the driver as Manuel Ramirez-Pablo, 47, of Petaluma.

Witnesses said Ramirez-Pablo’s Dodge pickup truck collided into a parked vehicle before the incident “quickly escalated,” the Petaluma Police Department wrote. The truck continued crashing into more vehicles, and then began colliding into houses.

Each time the truck crashed Ramirez-Pablo continued driving in failed attempts to flee the scene, police said.

When police officers arrived at the scene, they found the pickup truck “wedged next to a residential fence line with major damage,” PPD wrote. The driver was passed out behind the wheel with the engine running and doors locked.

The police department wrote, “After several attempts to have Ramirez unlock the doors with no success, officers broke the passenger side window and detained Ramirez. Ramirez displayed objective signs of heavy alcohol intoxication and was later determined to be driving under the influence.”

Officers surveyed damages across three blocks, including substantial damages to several houses. “Numerous area residents reported that Ramirez’s driving was erratic and reckless. At one point, he was seen crashing his truck into the same house twice,” PPD wrote.

One of the cars struck by the truck had a mother and her infant inside. The baby was evaluated by firefighters and was determined to be unharmed.

Ramirez was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail and his vehicle was impounded.

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