Would-Be Robber Punches Man, Pulls Woman's Hair: Petaluma Police

PETALUMA, CA — Police in Petaluma are investigating an attempted armed robbery that occurred Friday. Officers with the Petaluma Police Department responded at 8:39 p.m. to a report of an assault in the 1800 block of Linnet Lane in the Turtle Creek neighborhood, east of U.S. Highway 101.

Police said the victims, a man and a woman, had pulled up to their home in their vehicle when the man heard a knock on the passenger's door. A masked suspect then walked around and knocked on the driver's door, and when the woman opened the door, the suspect immediately grabbed the woman by the hair and began to pull her out of the vehicle.

The woman grabbed her purse, and once she was outside of the vehicle, the suspect attempted to pull the purse away from her.

The man got out of the vehicle, confronted the suspect and pushed the suspect away.

Police said the suspect then punched the man and may have hit him with a thin ornamental rod, temporarily knocking the victim out.

The suspect then fled the area.

The male victim was transported to Petaluma Valley Hospital, where he was treated for contusions and a cut to his head.

The woman was not injured, police said.

Police described the suspect as a man about 6 feet tall with a medium build and wearing a black mask and unknown clothing.

An iron bar was found at the scene and the victims told police they did not know where it came from.

Petaluma police are asking community members who saw anyone suspicious in the area before or after the incident, or residents who may have surveillance video footage, to call the Police Department at 707-778-4372.

— Bay City News Service; Patch local editor Maggie Avants contributed to this report.