Police: Unlicensed Teen Driver Slams Into Petaluma Home
PETALUMA (CBS SF) – A 17-year-old unlicensed driver slammed into the side of a Petaluma home Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Officers were called to a home near Saint Francis Drive and Saint Joseph Way around 4:55 p.m. on reports of the collision. When police arrived, they found a Mazda 3 hatchback on the lawn of the house.
A photo from Petaluma Police showed the vehicle had significant front end damage and that the airbag was deployed.
According to witnesses, the driver was speeding southbound on Saint Francis and lost control of the vehicle, which slammed into the side of the house.
No one inside the home was injured and that the structure had "minimal" damage, police said. The teen was reportedly not injured in the crash but was seeking medical attention with a guardian.
Police said the teen will be cited for driving without a license and may face additional vehicle code violations after officers complete their investigation.
Since the start of the year, police said there has been an increase in traffic collisions in the North Bay community. In January and February, police investigated were 72 collisions with 27 injuries, up from 46 collisions and 14 injuries from the same period last year.
