28-Year Old Man Arrested on DUI Charges after 101 Crash

A Geyserville man was arrested on suspicion of DUI, excessive blood alcohol and making criminal threats after he allegedly grabbed the emergency brake of a car he was riding in, causing it to crash on northbound Highway 101 south of Geyserville Avenue.

Police said Brent Franco, 28, was a passenger in a Mazda Protégé driven by a 19-year-old Geyserville woman on Friday evening when the incident occurred. However, police determined that Franco could be considered the driver at the time of the crash, according to California law, since he allegedly put himself in control of the car by grabbing the brake.

The woman's name is not being released due to potential threats, said Jon Sloat, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

According to Sloat, CHP officers responded to a 9:55 p.m. Friday call of a collision on northbound 101 south of Geyserville Ave.

"Upon arrival, officers observed a Mazda Protégé approximately 100 feet down an embankment," Sloat said. "Officers contacted a female, 19, of Geyserville, who had already exited the vehicle.

"The female stated that she had been driving the vehicle, with her boyfriend, Brent Franco, 28, of Geyserville," Sloat said. "The female stated that Franco was extremely agitated and had been hitting the interior of the vehicle, and making threats."

According to Sloat, the woman told police that at some point, as the vehicle was traveling at approximately 65 to 70 mph, Franco grabbed the emergency brake and activated it, causing her to lose control.

"The Mazda ran off of the road, and down the embankment," he said. 

After the crash, Franco left the car and fled eastbound on foot, Sloat said. The woman was uninjured.

"Additional officers responded to Franco’s residence, which was nearby, intercepted, and detained him," Sloat said. "As officers gathered collision information from Franco, they noted obvious signs of intoxication"

Franco was directed to perform some field sobriety tests, but refused, Sloat said. Based on the California Vehicle Code definition of a “driver” as being the person in control of the vehicle, officers determined that Franco had been in physical control of the Mazda at the time of the collision by applying the emergency brake.

Franco was placed under arrest, and was found to have a previous DUI conviction, from which he had just been released from probation. Franco was booked on charges of DUI, excessive blood alcohol, and making criminal threats.