​Public Safety Update

Police: Santa Rosa man jailed after striking man with golf club

A Santa Rosa man was in Sonoma County Jail Monday on suspicion of striking another man with a golf club and critically injuring him. Police say Roderick Anthony Bell, 48, and an unidentified 33-year-old man argued Saturday afternoon near Bell’s Howard Street home near the junior college when Bell chased the man with a golf club. The second man initially ran away, according to a news release from the Santa Rosa Police Department, but as Bell turned toward his home, the other man returned riding a bicycle down the street.

Info: www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7208895-181/police-santa-rosa-man-jailed

Petaluma police warn of phone scammers pretending to be sheriff's deputies

Phone scammers claiming to be Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies are telling people to pay up or be arrested, according to Petaluma police. A spate of calls from con artists purporting to be representatives of Pacific Gas & Electric was reported by Petaluma police earlier this year. Now, instead of threatening to turn off the lights, scammers are threatening a trip to Sonoma County Jail. The scammers, claiming to be deputies, have told victims that they have outstanding arrest warrants and will be arrested if they don’t purchase “Green Dot” pre-paid credit card and provide them card information over the phone, Petaluma police said.

Info: www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7211182-181/petaluma-police-warn-of-phone