According to a statement from the Santa Rosa Police Department, on Jan. 25, at 8:27 am, a victim of a vehicle hit and run called the Santa Rosa Police Department and stated he was following the suspect vehicle, near Third Street at Davis Street. The vehicle was described as a green Jeep Cherokee.
The victim stated the Jeep was driving erratically prior to the collision. The victim followed the Jeep to the area of 4th Street and Brookwood Avenue where a SRPD officer attempted to pull it over. The male suspect driver refused to pull over and a pursuit ensued.
SRPD officers pursued at moderate speeds as the suspect vehicle continued eastbound on 4th Street to Rogers Avenue. The Jeep then turned and went westbound toward Highway 101. The driver refused to stop for the pursuing marked SRPD patrol units and ran multiple red lights before it entered southbound Highway 101 near Third Street.
The Jeep continued southbound on Highway 101 and officers from the California Highway Patrol assisted and took over the pursuit near Todd Road. They continued southbound to Petaluma Boulevard North.Â
The suspect then turned back to northbound Highway 101. The pursuit continued northbound and a CHP plane assisted just as the vehicle was northbound Highway 101 in Windsor. The suspect continued driving, at times in excess of 80 mph.
Deputies from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s department were able to successfully set up spike strips on Highway 101 near both the Shiloh Road and Central Windsor exits. Both front tires of the suspect vehicle were disabled by the spike strips.Â
The Jeep continued to the Healdsburg Avenue off-ramp where it came to a stop due to the excessive tire damage. The male suspect driver fled and jumped over a chain link fence in the area. CHP officers pursued the suspect driver and were able to apprehend him a short time later. Jensen was taken into custody without incident. The original victim of the hit and run was also not injured.
The suspect driver was identified as Dexter Blake Jensen, a 31-year-old resident of Sonoma County. Jensen was arrested subsequently booked at the Sonoma County Jail. Charges included felony evading and misdemeanor hit and run.
