Santa Rosa teen arrested on suspicion of driving pickup into crowd at George Floyd protest

The teenage pickup driver filmed driving through a crowd of protesters near Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa on Saturday was arrested Wednesday morning.

The 17-year-old, who police declined to identify because he is a minor, was arrested at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is a Montgomery High School student, according to public statements made by school authorities.

The incident occurred toward the end of a peaceful daytime protest in response to the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died on Memorial Day when a white Minneapolis police officer held him face down on the street with a knee on the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes while ?arresting him.

At 7:40 p.m., the teen was driving his red pickup south on Mendocino Avenue from Fifth Street, police said in a news release. Witnesses reported that he accelerated toward Old Courthouse Square, where the crowd of protesters was gathered, and many believed that he was trying to run them over.

The incident was captured on video by bystanders and the city’s live feed of Old Courthouse Square. The video shows a red Toyota pickup driving through the intersection of Mendocino and Fourth avenues, through the crowd. Several protesters chased after the truck, and one appeared to try to climb into the bed of the truck before falling off. Another person held onto the driver’s window, but fell as the truck cleared traffic and sped away. Other protesters threw objects at the truck.

After a few moments, the suspect accelerated and turned west onto Fourth Street. Police stopped him at Fourth and B streets.

Santa Rosa police interviewed the boy, but released him to his parents because no victims had come forward. Police asked the public for help identifying witnesses and victims, and several people contacted the department with information about the incident.

One victim was identified and interviewed, which eventually led to the suspect’s arrest, police said.

Police previously said the suspect denied trying to run down any protesters but wanted to fly an American flag past the crowd. Video footage of the incident shows an American flag flapping from its place in the truck bed.

You can reach Staff Writer Chantelle Lee at 707-521-5337 or chantelle.lee@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ChantelleHLee.