Oakland Castlemont High teacher ID'd as innocent bystander killed after CHP chase

OAKLAND, Calif. - The innocent pedestrian bystander killed during Wednesday's California Highway Patrol chase of a suspect vehicle in Oakland has been identified as a Castlemont High School teacher. 

Two others were injured and an 18-year-old whom police were pursuing was arrested. 

Teacher killed 

What we know:

The teacher was Marvin Boomer, whom principal Joseph Blasher called a "beloved and vital member of the Castlemont family," in a letter obtained by KTVU.

Boomer, who held a PhD, taught math and was a Pathways coach for eight years. Castlemont's High School graduation is Friday. 

"His warmth, wisdom, and joyful spirit left a lasting impact on countless students and colleagues," Blasher said in his letter. 

The backstory:

Boomer was killed, and at least two others, including his girlfriend, were injured, on Wednesday around 7:45 p.m. at East 21st Street and Park Boulevard. 

A neighbor's Ring doorbell showed the horrifying moments of the crash, when Boomer got struck by a fire hydrant after 18-year-old Eric Hernandez Garcia lost control of his Infiniti G35 and slammed into a parked car, a tree and the hydrant. Water spewed all over the neighborhood. 

CHP log of events

Fifteen minutes earlier, CHP officers said they had tried to stop Hernandez-Garcia after they saw the Infiniti he was driving, which was wanted in connection with a felony evading charge from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. 

One CHP officer said the car had been stolen. At the scene, the Infiniti was seen with no license plates. 

Officers tried to stop Hernandez-Garcia in a parking lot near the intersection of 102nd Avenue and International Boulevard, but Hernandez-Garcia left the lot, according to the CHP.

Officers "discontinued their pursuit" 37 seconds later and a CHP airplane monitored the pursuit from the air, the CHP said. 

After driving along a freeway and city streets for 15 minutes, Hernandez-Garcia pulled his car to the curb at 1844 5th Street in Oakland and began to get out of the car, as officers on the plane told ground units where he was, the CHP said. 

As CHP officers on the ground got closer, Hernandez-Garcia got back into his car and fled, which is when CHP officers "reinitaited pursuit," the agency said. 

Within 30 seconds, Hernandez-Garcia crashed into a minivan at the intersection of Park Boulevard and 21st Street, the CHP said. 

Officers "discontinued their pursuit for a second time" and the people inside the minivan were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, the CHP said.

Witness William Duarte told KTVU that one of the people in the car was his wife, and she suffered injuries to her leg and neck. She also told him that she heard sirens at the time, indicating the pursuit was active. He said he was frustrated his wife was hurt and that an innocent person had died. 

Hernandez-Garcia continued to flee in a "reckless and dangerous manner," Oakland police spokesman Paul Chambers said, adding that moments later he was involved in a second crash at the intersection of East 21st Street and 12th Avenue, where he struck a fire hydrant and the two pedestrians – Boomer and his girlfriend. 

Ring video from a neighbor's house shows Boomer's girlfriend walking upstairs to a home and asking the people inside to call 911. 

Hernandez-Garcia ran away, police said, but officers were able to arrest him.

On Thursday, he was in custody in Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of felony vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run and evading police. 

Controversial police chases

Big picture view:

The issue of police chases is a controversial one. 

Many in law enforcement say that they need the tools to pursue criminals and if they don't chase suspects, then crime will continue to get out of hand.

Others point to tragic deaths and injuries – especially of innocent bystanders – like what happened in this case. 

"Was it worth it to catch that car thief? I don't think so. I think that's just horrible," said Michael Eastwood, who lives at the corner where the man died. 

He said he's concerned Gov. Gavin Newsom wants Oakland police to relax their pursuit policies so that officers can chase under more circumstances.

"Sounds like they want Oakland to do the same thing their CHP officers did last night that resulted in the death of this man," Eastwood said.

The California Highway Patrol has looser rules on chasing suspects than Oakland police do.

Recently, the Oakland police chief asked the police commission to loosen one particular aspect of city chase rules, where an officer would no longer have to request permission from a supervisor to drive faster than 50 mph. 

Earlier this month, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Oakland police can be held responsible when bystanders are injured, or killed, during reckless pursuits.

Oakland City Councilmember Charlene Wang said the city is still working to refine its pursuit policy. 

"We have to be thoughtful, and that's probably why we did have a police chase policy in part, because there have been innocent bystanders that have been killed," Wang said.

What's next:

The Anti Police-Terror Project, a grassroots group that is critical of law enforcement, is hosting a vigil on Friday at 6 p.m. at 12th Avenue and East 21st Street in Oakland.

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