Beer bandit propels purloined pints

Hey, man, don’t throw the beer! A deputy found himself in the line of firewater on Sunday, May 3, when answering a 3:43 p.m. call to Safeway for a report of an individual who walked out of the store with a six-pack of Lagunitas beer. A manager followed the shoplifter out of the store and saw him jump on a bike to escape. The shoplifter threw a backpack containing the purloined beer at the employee. It seems the shoplifter stole another six-pack at Sonoma Market about two hours earlier. After the 25-year-old Santa Rosa resident was arrested, he was put into the back of the squad car where he persisted in banging his head against the partition. The deputy took the shoplifter to the hospital to make sure he hadn’t injured himself. The deputy cited the man for burglary shoplifting and a probation violation and released him – while complimenting him on his sophisticated taste in local brews, and impressive throwing arm.

In other incidents reported recently to Valley law enforcement:

Saturday, April 25:

9:20 a.m. – Deputies responded to a possible burglary in the 2000 block of Cavedale Road. The reporting party, a neighbor, told deputies there was a lot of activity around the neighbor’s vacant house that included taxis dropping people off. Deputies discovered there were alcohol bottles all over the interior and that a TV had been thrown out into the front yard. Black plastic bags were taped over the windows to keep neighbors from seeing the party that was apparently going on. Deputies contacted the owner, who lives in San Francisco about the incident. After inspecting the property, the owner said that a DVD player and a guitar went missing.

Tuesday, April 28:

4:13 p.m. – While on patrol in the area of Anza Drive and Riverside Drive, a deputy noticed a parked car with several individuals in it. He was familiar with the person in the driver’s seat because of prior contact and he knew the individual had an outstanding warrant. During a search of the vehicle, the deputy found a broken meth pipe and a second pipe in the glove box. The deputy arrested Kathleen Patterson, 25, of Sonoma on a felony warrant and a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was transported to county jail.

Wednesday, April 29:

1:49 p.m. – Deputies responded to a residence in the 18000 block of Highway 12 for a report of a 31-year-old man who was out of control and broke a window. The man’s mother told deputies he abused alcohol and drugs and she banned him from her house. She was moving and told him to get his stuff out of the residence and she loaded it all in a cart for him. The man accused his mother of breaking some of his belongings and started kicking and punching doors and broke a window. The man was arrested on charges of vandalism and public intoxication and transported to county jail.

Thursday, April 30:

Noon – Deputies conducted a probation search in the 300 block of West Thomson Avenue. After conducting the customary search of the man’s bedroom, deputies found a wallet with $107, a digital scale, a small plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance, a large amount of plastic zip-lock bags, 25 pipes, two containers of prescription pills, a .22 caliber pistol, a shoebox with 50 knives and a pair of metal knuckles, a second firearm – a .22 caliber rifle – and several high capacity ammunition magazines. The man said he wasn’t selling drugs, but wouldn’t elaborate. He also told deputies that both guns were his but wouldn’t say how he came into possession of them. He also said the pills weren’t his and he didn’t know where they came from. Deputies arrested Daniel Culwell, 39, of Sonoma, on charges of felony possession of metal knuckles, felony addict in possession of firearms, felony possession of controlled substance for sale, felony possession of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and a probation violation. Culwell was transported to county jail.

Friday, May 1:

10:35 p.m. – A 36-year-old Santa Rosa resident was arrested after wandering in the vicinity of Donner and France streets shoeless and shirtless with a blanket draped over his shoulder. Because there have been some thefts in the area, deputies decided to talk with the man. But he took off running. Deputies captured him once, but he took off a second time. After capturing him a second time, the man continued to struggle with deputies. He was incoherent and deputies discovered the man had a history of assaulting corrections officers and deputies. He was arrested on charges of obstructing or resisting and carted off to the county jail.

To contact Sonoma Police – 996-3602

To contact the

Sonoma Valley Substation – 996-9495