Butter and Eggs Keeps Police on their Toes

Petaluma police had their hands full Saturday with a dozen arrests for public intoxication, fights, drug sales and two young men who were apprehended for slashing the tires of parked cars on Liberty Street, according to police reports.

Shortly before 5pm, police responded to a report of a man selling drugs in the area of Kentucky and Washington streets. Upon arriving, they found Robert Drips, 28, from Petaluma, with an allegedly substantial amount of marijuana packaged for sale. 

Nearby two drivers, who had been drinking at a Butter and Eggs beer garden, were reported to have driven over bushes on Galland Street as they were leaving downtown. Police officers were able to locate the vehicle based on a description from a caller and concluded that both the driver and passenger had taken turns driving the car. Both were booked and cited to appear in court.

Then, shortly before 7pm, during a traffic stop at the Golden Eagle Shopping Center on East Washngton Street, when an intoxicated man ran up and started punching the car that police had stopped. Christopher Haller, 22, from Novato, was arrested for public intoxication and booked into County Jail. 

Around 7:15pm, callers reported two men walking on top of cars and urinating in public near Second and B streets. Police responded and found Devin Chatoian, 31 years old, who matched the description provided by the calling party. He was subsequently arrested for public intoxication. 

A little while later police received numerous calls of men slashing car tires with a knife in Liberty and Oak streets. Police officers found two suspects in the area and linked them to the tire slashings. Mark Ferris, 18 years old, from Petaluma and Eric Wahl, 25 years old, from Santa Rosa, were arrested for felony vandalism and booked into Sonoma County Jail. 

Around 10pm, police got word that a truck towing a horse trailer appeared to have an impaired driver. Police located the vehicle driving on Petaluma Blvd. near Kent Street and arrested Paul McNamara, 43 years, from Sonoma County, for driving under the influence. McNamara had been a participant in the Butter and Eggs Parade, according to police. 

The numbers provided by police only include incidents until 11pm Saturday and are expected to increase. We will update the story when we get information about overnight incidents and arrests. Stay tuned!