Authorities say 26-year-old Juan Chavez of Petaluma died Thursday night when a suspected DUI driver crashed an SUV near Cotati.
The California Highway Patrol’s Santa Rosa office reported the Chevrolet Tahoe was heading south on Stony Point Road when the driver lost control near West Sierra Avenue, left the roadway, and collided with a tree. Chavez, a passenger, died at the scene.
The driver sustained injuries and was hospitalized. CHP said she was under the influence of alcohol and will be booked into jail after treatment. The case remains under investigation.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to support Chavez’s family with funeral-related expenses.