Sonoma County sheriff's wife arrested in DUI crash had prior convictions

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The wife of Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram who was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of drunk driving after her Tesla slammed into a home, had prior convictions, KTVU has learned.

Natasha Whittinghill, 47, had prior convictions for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.

Whittinghill, the wife of Engram, is accused of crashing her Tesla Model 3 into a home in Santa Rosa Friday night and injuring a person in the home. Whittinghill has a bail hearing scheduled for June 2. 

Engram was the first to confirm his wife's arrest.

"Last night my wife was involved in a DUI crash. Her car hit a house, causing damage, and the one person inside the home was injured," Engram said in a Facebook message. "As was appropriate, she was arrested and is facing DUI-related charges in the incident being handled by the Santa Rosa Police Department."

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The woman who was hurt by the crash told KTVU about what happened.

Lorie Johnson, 58, said she was sitting in her recliner in the living room of her Santa Rosa home, watching soap operas, when just before 1 a.m., she heard the sound of a car engine, and then headlights came crashing through her wall.

"I’m kind of still in shock," said Johnson." Then there’s this massive, massive boom. My television is a 75, 80-inch TV coming towards me. With debris and two-by-fours with nails. I’m pinned to the chair with my little dog on me just screaming."

Johnson was taken by ambulance to the hospital. She said she hurt her knees and has cuts all over her body from shards of glass and debris.

She said Whittinghill was visibly intoxicated and got out of her vehicle when neighbors came over to help. 

"She got belligerent with them. And fell into the bushes," said Johnson.