Rohnert Park High-Speed Police Chase: Son Arrested After Stealing Mom's Car

ROHNERT PARK, CA -- A man who allegedly forced his way into his mother's home over the weekend and stole her car keys led police on a high speed chase before being caught after driving off a roadway and getting stuck in the mud.

Around 3:18 pm on Saturday, March 4, the Rohnert Park Public Safety Dispatch Center received a call from a 911 call from a resident on Carlita Circle reporting a family disturbance. The adult son of the caller, identified as 24-year-old Zachary Delew, had forced his way into his mother’s home, destroying property and taking the keys to her vehicle, according to police.

The victim also said that Delew stole her gold Honda Pilot SUV and drove away on Country Club Boulevard.

Rohnert Park officers arrived in the area within three minutes of the initial 911 call, locating Delew as he drove toward Rohnert Park Expressway. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the Honda, but Delew failed to yield for the patrol cars emergency equipment. Delew then drove away, reaching speeds of 70 MPH, on Rohnert Park Expressway toward Petaluma Hill Road.

Officers followed with their lights and sirens activated as Delew led them on an extended vehicle pursuit back into Rohnert Park on East Cotati Blvd past Sonoma State University. Additional resources were requested from the California Highway Patrol, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and Cotati Police Department. Plain clothes Rohnert Park officers also joined the pursuit.

Delew then drove into Cotati through the downtown corridor and eventually onto West Sierra Avenue in front of the Cotati Police Department. Traffic was light at the time of the incident and the officers used caution as they followed Delew, attempting to get him to stop his vehicle.

A Rohnert Park officer was able to pull alongside Delew, then pulled her patrol car in front of Delew’s vehicle to keep him from pulling away. Delew then accelerated, intentionally colliding with the rear of the officer’s patrol car, and proceeded to merge onto southbound Hwy 101 leading officers at speeds up to 90 MPH into Petaluma and onto Petaluma Blvd North. At this point, the CHP had dispatched a helicopter and was assisting in stopping traffic on Hwy 101 to ensure the safety of uninvolved motorists.

Delew drove northbound on Stony Point Road, still failing to yield to pursuing officers, which now included units from Petaluma Police Department, CHP, the Sheriff’s Office and Rohnert Park.

Delew pulled back onto southbound Hwy 101 from the Stony Point Road and Pepper Road onramp and began to pass traffic in the center divider at speeds up to 60 MPH in heavy traffic, then pulled to the right side of the highway and drove his vehicle off the roadway next to the Petaluma Factory Outlets, trying to pull into the rear parking lot.

At this point, police say his vehicle sunk in the mud and grass and was unable to travel any further. Delew was then taken into custody without further incident.

Despite everything, authorities say that no other vehicles were damaged other than Delew’s and the Rohnert Park patrol car. The officer whose patrol car was struck received minor injuries as a result of Delew’s actions, and was treated at Kaiser Hospital and released back to duty later that evening.

Delew, who was previously arrested at the age of 19 for public intoxication, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on felony charges of evading police, vehicle theft, assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and a probation violation.

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