Man Suspected of Domestic Abuse Arrested After Chase in Petaluma

—By Bay City News

A domestic violence abuse suspect was arrested in Petaluma after leading police on a chase in a car filled with drugs for sale, police said Saturday.

Police arrested 20-year-old Sebastopol resident Thomas Bolema on Wednesday, about a week after police received a report that he had abused his estranged girlfriend, according to police.

On Wednesday, Petaluma police Officer Paul Gilman was headed to meet the victim to record details about the alleged abuse when he spotted Bolema on Professional Drive about two blocks from the victim's home, police said.

Recognizing Bolema from the suspect description and his vehicle's license plate, the officer drove up behind the suspect's car. Police said that upon seeing the officer, the suspect drove away, leading Gilman on a brief high-speed chase to North McDowell Boulevard.

Bolema exited his car and jumped a construction site fence. Officers searched the construction site and were alerted by workers that the suspect had jumped into the trunk of a car to hide.

Police said officers converged on the vehicle and took Bolema into custody.

A search of the suspect's car turned up processed marijuana, hash and evidence of drug sales, according to police.

Police said Bolema later admitted that he ran because he did not want to be arrested for drug possession.

He was arrested on suspicion of drug sales and taken to Sonoma County Jail, but was later released on bail, police said.

On Thursday, a police officer met with the woman who initially reported Bolema had domestically abused her. She disclosed that the suspect had recently physically abused, stalked and kidnapped her, according to police.

Police contacted Bolema at his home in Sebastopol and arrested him on suspicion of felony stalking, domestic violence and kidnapping. The suspect was again booked into county jail, where he is being held on $500,000 bail.

Bolema is set to appear in court on Tuesday, according to police.

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