Jacques Cadgene, a 72-year-old retired Santa Rosa man, recently fired a pistol at a woman who was driving her car straight toward him after Cadgene apparently interrupted an attempted burglary of his home.
According to Sonoma County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Raasch, Cadgene was justified in his actions when he fired his pistol three times at the engine block of the Honda Accord driven by the woman, in an effort to disable the vehicle. Cadgene said that he was an “old man,” and that when someone drives a car toward him he will shoot to disable the car. Once Laumann’s car eventually came to a stop a few blocks away, she was arrested. News reports at the Press Democrat say that the shots damaged the alternator, power steering, and exhaust manifold.
The altercation took place on Saturday evening, March 30, when Cadgene and his wife had returned from running errands to their home located on Bennett Valley Road. Upon their arrival, they found that the front door of the home was standing open, and a strange car in the driveway. The couple could see a woman’s face they did not recognize looking out a window.
When Cadgene approached the woman, another woman appeared inside the home; the women claimed that they were looking for someone, and started to leave. At this point, Cadgene retrieved a 9mm handgun because he believed he had interrupted a burglary of his home, according to Raasch.
Cadgene told the two women that police were on their way, and that the women had to stay; this is when one of the women left on foot. As the second woman got into her car, Cadgene got into his own and dialed 911. Hoping to block the woman’s car, he left his in the driveway, then exited and stood on the edge of the driveway, where there was a drop off. He alleges that the woman began revving her engine as she backed down the driveway. According to Raasch, she had to maneuver around bushes in an attempt to get around Cadgene’s car, and get back into the driveway. He says that she could have struck Cadgene in the process, and that his attempt to disable the vehicle was in an effort to protect his own life and safety.
When the woman’s car eventually became disabled, she dialed the Santa Rose police and reported that he vehicle had been shot at; in the meantime, deputies had arrived at Cadgene’s home.
Ultimately, Laumann and Lucie Anne Abramson, the woman who had left on foot, were arrested by deputies on suspicion of breaking into the Cadgene’s home and burglarizing it. Laumann was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon in addition, for attempting to assault Cadgene with her car.
Both of the women were placed in the Sonoma County Jail; Laumann posted a $40,000 bail before being released on Sunday. Abramson was found to have violated probation, and remained in jail on Monday.
Santa Rosa burglary attorneys know that in California, burglary is a criminal offense taken very seriously. Individuals who are convicted of residential burglary may face harsh punishment including fines of up to $10,000 and two, four or six years in prison depending on the circumstances.
If you have been arrested for first- or second-degree burglary or have already been charged, speak with an experienced Santa Rosa criminal defense lawyer who will work diligently to obtain a positive outcome.
