Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On July 15, 2020, at about 5 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies on patrol in the area of Myrtle and Harrison Avenues, in the county’s jurisdiction of Eureka, witnessed a traffic collision between a black Hyundai sedan and a white Ford Focus at the intersection.

Deputies observed the Focus stop at a red light. The sedan then rear-ended the Focus, causing it to collide with a dark-colored Toyota Tacoma. Deputies responded to provide assistance to the involved parties. The Tacoma left the scene prior to deputy contact.

 

While on scene, deputies learned that the collision was the result of a road rage incident. The driver of the sedan, later identified as 23-year-old Desiree Sonya Fernandez, told deputies that she felt the driver of the Focus was driving too slowly. After making attempts to gain the driver’s attention and get him to pull over, Fernandez said she intentionally rammed her vehicle into the back of the Focus.

No one was injured during the incident. 

Fernandez was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). Her bail is set at $35,000.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office asks that the driver of the involved Toyota Tacoma contact our office to assist with this investigation by providing a statement regarding the incident. The driver of the Tacoma is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 and reference case number 202003413.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.