Petaluma man stabbed in eye with drumstick released from hospital, struck by car

A Petaluma man released from Stanford Hospital after being stabbed in one eye with a musical drumstick, returned to another hospital the same day after being struck by a car, Petaluma police said.

William McCullough, 68, still with a patch over his injured eye socket, had gotten out of the Bay Area hospital on Friday and returned to Petaluma.

About 9:10 p.m., McCullough apparently dashed into Old Redwood Highway near North McDowell Boulevard to cross and was hit by a passing vehicle, police said Monday. The man was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Driver Philip Paskal, 68, of Petaluma was headed west on Old Redwood Highway, driving about 30 mph in the 35 mph zone. Paskal and other witnesses told police they saw a pedestrian who ran into the road, as traffic approached. Police officials said McCullough was crossing illegally.

McCullough suffered a head wound and was taken by ambulance to the Santa Rosa hospital trauma center. He was discharged Sunday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Last week, the man suffered the eye wound during an assault in downtown Petaluma by a homeless man, police said.

The altercation occurred in a bank parking lot about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Officers called to the assault reported finding a man sitting on top of McCullough, using both hands to shove an 18-inch drumstick into one eye.

Officers arrested Jessie Aaron Chamberlain, 32, suspecting him of mayhem and elder abuse.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707‑521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.