Bicyclist Fatally Struck On Petaluma Hill Road

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner's Office has identified a bicyclist fatally struck just after midnight Tuesday on Petaluma Hill Road as Joseph Converse, 39, of Santa Rosa. Converse was struck at about 12:14 a.m. Tuesday on Petaluma Hill Road at Hopi Trail, northeast of Rohnert Park and Cotati in unincorporated Sonoma County, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Marcus Hawkins.

"Preliminary investigation and physical evidence at the scene indicated the bicyclist was riding in the southbound lane of Petaluma Hill Road, and not within the designated bicycle lane," Hawkins said.

An ambulance crew was also dispatched because 911 callers reported a bicyclist had been hit by a car and that a second car had possibly run over the bicyclist's body, Hawkins said.

Paramedics pronounced Converse deceased at the scene.

Both drivers remained at the scene and spoke with CHP officers.

A 28-year-old Santa Rosa man was driving a 2009 Ford Focus southbound on Petaluma Hill Road, south of Yolanda Avenue, when he collided with the bicyclist since identified as Converse.

"The bicyclist who was wearing all dark clothing, was ejected from the bicycle over the top of the Focus and landed in the southbound lane," Hawkins said.

A 28-year-old Rohnert Park woman was driving a 2017 Subaru Legacy southbound on Petaluma Hill Road and hit Converse who was lying the southbound lane, Hawkins said.

Neither driver was impaired by alcohol or drugs, but any impairment of Converse has yet to be determined, Hawkins said.

Anyone who has information about the crash is asked to call the Santa Rosa CHP Office at 707-588-1400.

—Bay City News Service contributed to this report.