Woman arrested after driving erratically with child inside along Highway 101, CHP says
A woman was arrested Monday afternoon in Petaluma after she was seen driving erratically with a toddler inside, according to the California Highway Patrol.
PETALUMA, Calif. - A woman was arrested Monday afternoon in Petaluma after she was seen driving erratically with her toddler son inside, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP said it received several 911 calls about a woman driving recklessly along southbound Highway 101 in Petaluma.
Child was not in car seat
What we know:
When an officer attempted to stop the driver, the woman failed to pull over and continued driving— from Petaluma to San Rafael, then making a U-turn and heading north toward Santa Rosa, before turning around again.
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Officers said the 2-year-old child could be seen moving around inside the vehicle and was not in a safety seat, prompting them to maintain a safe distance from the woman’s Escalade.
CHP said the SUV was equipped with OnStar, and the system was able to take control of the accelerator and gradually slow the vehicle down in 5 to 10 mph increments.
The Escalade came to a stop on the Petaluma River Bridge along Highway 101.
Woman exited SUV clinging onto child
Dig deeper:
The woman exited the vehicle while holding the child.
Officers were able to get a hold of the child, and the woman was taken into custody. She was medically cleared and booked into Sonoma County Jail on charges of felony evading and child endangerment.
Authorities said it is unclear why the woman was driving erratically.
The Source: The California Highway Patrol