Petaluma Police Arrest Man Suspected Of Selling Drugs

PETALUMA, CA — A man was arrested Thursday night in Petaluma on suspicion of selling drugs when an officer spotted him in a suspicious-looking car, Petaluma police said.

Around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, an officer from the Petaluma Police Department Community Impact Response Team — C.I.R.T. — was doing patrols near the area of Motel 6, 1368 N. McDowell Blvd., and decided to approach the suspicious vehicle.

As the officer made contact with the person he saw a large amount of psylocibin next to the man in the car, who was identified as Michael Morand, 63, of Vallejo, according to a news release from the Petaluma Police Department.

The officer detained Morand and searched his car based on probable cause for additional contraband, Petaluma police Sgt. Ryan Suhrke said.

Inside the car, the officer found over a pound of additional illegal controlled substances, along with other evidence of drug sales, Suhrke said.

Based on information during the initial interview along with evidence from the car, Morand was arrested and was later booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale and transporting unlawful controlled substances for sale, Suhrke said.

"The Petaluma Police Department Community Impact Response Team continues to address various community concerns, one of which is drug sales," Suhrke said. "Illegal controlled substances continue to affect our community and the Petaluma Police Department continues to strive to improve the quality of life of all its community members."