Sonoma Police: Protesters shut down vaccination clinic at Sassarini Elementary School

Three members of an anti-vaccine activist group forced the closure of a COVID-19 vaccine clinic March 2 at Sassarini Elementary School in Sonoma, police said Tuesday.

Protesters gathered at the site and when they became unruly, about 4:15 p.m. Thursday, the school made a decision to shut the clinic down, Sonoma Police Sgt. Scott McKinnon said.

Dr. Elizabeth Kaufman, acting superintendent of Sonoma Valley Unified School District, said she arrived to the scene after the issue was handled and was unable to provide more details about the incident Tuesday.

“Our decision to shut down the clinic was based on a desire to avoid escalation and perceived threat to staff, students, parents and community,” Kaufman said in an email Tuesday.

The vaccine clinic also served to provide backpacks to students who got vaccinated, resources to access child care subsidies, and assistance to enroll in the state’s public health insurance program MediCal and the state’s food assistance program CalFresh, according to Matt Brown, communications specialist for the county.

“It is unfortunate that a group of people prevented children and families from accessing important and free protection from COVID-19,” Brown added.

The protesters were not arrested, though McKinnon said their attempt to interfere with the health program was “100% illegal,” based on a 2021 California law passed to prevent harassment and intimidation at vaccination clinics.

The law states it is unlawful to approach any person — within 30 feet — while that person is within 100 feet of an entrance or exit of a vaccination site for the purpose of “obstructing, injuring, harassing, intimidating or interfering with that person.”

McKinnon said he planned to notify the anti-vaccine organization responsible for the protest that if members “conduct themselves in such a manner” again, there would be consequences.

“If it happens again within the city, they will be arrested,” he said.

Computer crime

A security guard for the Bank of America at 35 W. Napa St. discovered a “skimming device,” a small device used to steal data from bank cards, attached to an ATM on Wednesday, March 1, at 10:47 a.m., McKinnon said.

The security guard removed the skimming device from the ATM, and Sonoma Police met with the bank manager to discuss an investigation into the crime. McKinnon said the device had two parts: a mirrored piece to record bank users’ pin numbers and a thin card reader that records bank cards as they enter the ATM.

Bank of America and Sonoma Police are reviewing video footage from the scene.

McKinnon has previous experience in law enforcement investigating the use of skimming devices, and he said hundreds of thousands of dollars could be taken with a single device.

“It could be pretty lucrative for some of these suspects, depending on how much of that information they're getting. Our hope is that they didn't get anything,” McKinnon said. “Kudos to the security guard.”

DUI

Sonoma Police responded to a reported DUI when a 66-year-old Sonoma man crashed his black SUV into a parked vehicle on the 300 block of West Spain Street at 9:20 a.m. on Sunday, March 5, McKinnon said.

When deputies arrived at the scene, the suspect and the owner of the parked car were arguing, and the black SUV was next to the curb, sticking out “at an awkward angle,” McKinnon said.

Deputies separated the two individuals and spoke to both parties. While interviewing the suspect, deputies noted the smell of alcohol coming from the man, along with red and watery eyes and unsteady footing.

Deputies conducted a DUI investigation and gave the suspect a Breathalyzer test, which showed his blood alcohol concentration to be 0.19 — more than double the legal limit. The man was arrested for DUI, McKinnon said.

Possession of a controlled substance

While driving on Highway 12, a Sonoma police deputy stopped a bicyclist riding without a head lamp at approximately 2:21 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, in the 18000 block of Highway 12, McKinnon said.

The deputy conducted a background check, which showed the man was on probation for possession of a controlled substance, McKinnon said.

The deputy searched the man, and found an alleged methamphetamine pipe and a small plastic bag with suspected methamphetamine.

The deputy arrested the suspect, 57-year-old Santa Rosa man, for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and felony violation of probation.

Petty theft

Sonoma police responded to a report of petty theft from an unlocked Ford Explorer at 1200 block of Pickett Street on Thursday, March 2, McKinnon said.

The victim’s father contacted her the next morning to ask if she had attempted to purchase items at a Walmart in Vallejo. In all, there were four attempted purchases on her credit card for approximately $750 at a Vallejo Walmart and Target, McKinnon said.

The victim went to her car and found the middle console had been rummaged through and her wallet was gone, McKinnon said. There is no surveillance video from the victim’s home.

Sonoma police are working with the security from the Walmart and Target stores to develop a suspect lead, McKinnon said.

Contact Chase Hunter at chase.hunter@sonomanews.com and follow @Chase_HunterB on Twitter.