2 Teens Beat Up While Leaving High School Football Game: Police

PETALUMA, CA — Police announced the arrest this week of a 21-year-old man who is suspected of beating up two teens as they left a Sept. 22 football game at Petaluma High School.

Petaluma police officers were dispatched around 12:35 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 to an assault that took place several hours earlier as the victims were leaving a Friday night football game they attended at Petaluma High School.

Officers learned the juvenile victims were walking down Douglas Street after the game when a male suspect confronted them and threatened to assault them.

Several minutes later when one of the teen victims arrived to pick up the other teens, the suspect also arrived in a car and blocked in the victim's car, police said.

According to police, the suspect got out of his car, approached the victim's driver's door, and tried to open it. After a struggle, the suspect was able to open the door and proceeded to violently assault the victim, causing serious injuries, police said.

The suspect then climbed into the car and began assaulting the back-seat passenger, causing visible injuries to the juvenile victim, police said.

After beating up the victims, the suspect got out of their car and walked back to his car to get an unknown item, the victims told police. When they saw him walking back toward them, they took off in their car.

The victims went home where they reported the incident and sought medical treatment, Petaluma police Sgt. Jake Gutierrez said.

Since the incident took place, the Petaluma Police Department's Community Impact Response Team, its Gang Enforcement Team, and the CSI Unit worked continuously to identify the suspect, Gutierrez said. The investigation involved processing the victims' car for evidence.

"The Petaluma Police Department is committed to working to reduce crime and improve the quality of life throughout the City of Petaluma and encourages residents to partner with us by contacting the Police Department whenever necessary," Gutierrez said.

This past Wednesday, police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Luis Morales of Petaluma.

CIRT officers sought a warrant for his arrest. The warrant was issued for charges of felony assault causing serious bodily injury, felony assault on a juvenile causing serious injury and felony burglary, with bail set at $75,000.

Around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, CIRT officers and the Petaluma Police K-9 Unit arrested Morales at his residence without incident.

Morales was interviewed regarding the incident and then booked at the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of the charges on the warrant.

Jail records Friday indicated Morales has since been released from custody.

Patch was not able to immediately reach the Petaluma Police Department on whether the assaults were potentially gang-related or whether there was a different possible motive.