Santa Rosa man arrested, charged with felony DUI, hit-and-run for allegedly critically injuring motorcyclist
Felony DUI arrest in Santa Rosa. Sept. 6, 2022. Photo courtesy Santa Rosa Police Department.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A Santa Rosa man was arrested for felony DUI and hit-and-run a day after the alleged crime that critically injured a motorcyclist, Santa Rosa Police Department says.
In a press release, police said 37-year-old Charles A. Bernhardy was arrested Wednesday morning following an investigation of a collision incident at the intersection of Fountaingrove Parkway and Sedgemore Drive Tuesday at around 8:54 p.m. Police said witnesses told dispatchers that the driver of an older tan Chevrolet Silverado truck rear-ended a motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle, a 23-year-old man was thrown from his vehicle.
Police dispatched to the scene found the driver, also from Santa Rosa, injured in the roadway. He is said to be in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Police said they learned after the truck rear-ended the motorcyclist the driver of the truck continued and rear-ended a Honda Accord. As he continued to drive, police said the motorcycle was dragged underneath the Chevy.
Police said the motorcycle was located two miles west of the collision on the center median. Police also said it appeared the Chevy driver drove onto the median where he hit a tree and a pole before continuing the wrong way on the eastbound lanes of Fountaingrove Parkway. Police said the driver crossed over the median to the right side and drove off. Officers said they found the Chevy abandoned at Fountaingrove and Mendocino Avenue as the suspect had fled.
Police said they attempted to contact the suspect that night by going to the address of the registered Chevy owner, but he was not home. Wednesday at around 8:41 a.m., police said they contacted Bernhardy at his residence on the 700 block of Benicia Drive. The suspect was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail. The charges include DUI causing injury, hit-and-run, an enhancement for causing great bodily injury and a misdemeanor charge of hit-and-run in connection to hitting the Honda.
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Felony DUI arrest in Santa Rosa. Sept. 6, 2022. Photo courtesy Santa Rosa Police Department.
Felony DUI arrest in Santa Rosa. Sept. 6, 2022. Photo courtesy Santa Rosa Police Department.