The Petaluma Police Department on Tuesday, May 26th, arrested the male motorist who killed a bicyclist in a DUI crash in Petaluma, California. 65-year-old John Dethlefsen started the chain of events that led to the fatal collision that occurred in the morning.
The police determined that the suspect was under the influence of an intoxicating substance after he left his lane of travel into another. They detained Dethlefsen on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
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The investigators said in a press release that the accident occurred at about 9:28 a.m. on Corona Road near Highway 101 overpass. The suspect, who was driving a white Honda Accord east on the roadway, crossed the dividing double yellow lines into the lane heading west.
The act caused Dethlefsen to collide with an unidentified male bicyclist. The man kept driving onto the overpass directly into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by an unknown driver.
The bicyclist sustained severe wounds, and emergency services found him unresponsive on the roadway. The medics could not revive him, and they declared him dead. The PPD will release the cyclist’s identity after notifying his next-of-kin. Dethlefsen and the pickup driver did not suffer any injury from the wreck.
The tragic accident remains under investigation, and the police will release an update when they have more information. Witnesses can contact the PPD at the station if they wish to make a statement.
Those involved in DUI accidents causing death should secure the services of a drunk driving attorney for legal advice and representation.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.