Post by JustMyOpinion on Jul 26, 2010 11:19:42 GMT -5
Two prior DUI's, and drove while under the influence with his two young children. This is the kind of story that sends me through the roof. I hope they lock him up and throw away the key!
I kept wondering where the mother was the children were awfully young to be out on a drinking adventure with "dad."
See the text in red, guess we'd all better take extra care on the roads these days.
Petaluma dad faces charges in staged crash
By RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 8:27 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 8:27 a.m.
A Petaluma man, suspected of driving drunk, went to jail after trying to stage a crash scene and hide that he'd been driving his young children at the time, the CHP reported Monday.
Dustin Whitney, 29, has two prior drunken driving convictions, said CHP Officer Jon Sloat.
Whitney remained in jail Monday morning and now faces four felony charges when he goes to court Tuesday, including drunken driving causing injury and child endangerment.
Whitney had been drinking Saturday with friends at the Russian River. At about 6:35 p.m., he and acquaintance Andres Bowers, 30, of Windsor got into a collision on River Road at Trenton-Healdsburg Road.
Whitney had been driving his two children, ages four and one, Sloat said.
In an attempt to help Whitney avoid some charges, the two men got the kids out of the car and moved Whitney's Nissan Pathfinder from the road to a ditch. They put the children into Bowers' Dodge truck, parked on the right shoulder, the CHP said.
A CHP officer, passing by with a suspect bound for jail from an earlier drunken driving crash, stopped to check on the crash. He was told by Bowers, who appeared to be a witness not a participant, that Whitney had crashed into the ditch, Sloat said.
As the officer spoke to Whitney, Bowers drove off with the children.
Officers arrested Whitney, suspecting he'd been driving while intoxicated.
During the investigation they learned he had been driving his children, who no longer were with him.
Whitney wouldn't tell officers where they'd gone, Sloat said.
At about 12:25 a.m., Windsor police contacted CHP to say Bowers had shown up at the police department with the two children.
Bowers admitted he'd been in the crash and that he'd taken the children to try and help Whitney.
The children were united with their mother and taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital for evaluation. The four-year-old had suffered cuts and swelling from the seat belt and cuts to one leg from the crash, Sloat said.
Whitney Monday was in Sonoma County Jail without bail for violating probation from a prior conviction.
Bowers role in the incident remained under investigation Monday, Sloat said.
I kept wondering where the mother was the children were awfully young to be out on a drinking adventure with "dad."
See the text in red, guess we'd all better take extra care on the roads these days.
Petaluma dad faces charges in staged crash
By RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 8:27 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 8:27 a.m.
A Petaluma man, suspected of driving drunk, went to jail after trying to stage a crash scene and hide that he'd been driving his young children at the time, the CHP reported Monday.
Dustin Whitney, 29, has two prior drunken driving convictions, said CHP Officer Jon Sloat.
Whitney remained in jail Monday morning and now faces four felony charges when he goes to court Tuesday, including drunken driving causing injury and child endangerment.
Whitney had been drinking Saturday with friends at the Russian River. At about 6:35 p.m., he and acquaintance Andres Bowers, 30, of Windsor got into a collision on River Road at Trenton-Healdsburg Road.
Whitney had been driving his two children, ages four and one, Sloat said.
In an attempt to help Whitney avoid some charges, the two men got the kids out of the car and moved Whitney's Nissan Pathfinder from the road to a ditch. They put the children into Bowers' Dodge truck, parked on the right shoulder, the CHP said.
A CHP officer, passing by with a suspect bound for jail from an earlier drunken driving crash, stopped to check on the crash. He was told by Bowers, who appeared to be a witness not a participant, that Whitney had crashed into the ditch, Sloat said.
As the officer spoke to Whitney, Bowers drove off with the children.
Officers arrested Whitney, suspecting he'd been driving while intoxicated.
During the investigation they learned he had been driving his children, who no longer were with him.
Whitney wouldn't tell officers where they'd gone, Sloat said.
At about 12:25 a.m., Windsor police contacted CHP to say Bowers had shown up at the police department with the two children.
Bowers admitted he'd been in the crash and that he'd taken the children to try and help Whitney.
The children were united with their mother and taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital for evaluation. The four-year-old had suffered cuts and swelling from the seat belt and cuts to one leg from the crash, Sloat said.
Whitney Monday was in Sonoma County Jail without bail for violating probation from a prior conviction.
Bowers role in the incident remained under investigation Monday, Sloat said.
