Latest news with #InfinitiG35
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
18-year-old charged in Oakland chase that killed math teacher insists car wasn't stolen: attorney
The Brief Eric Scott Hernandez-Garcia insisted through his attorney that he did not steal the Infiniti that the CHP was chasing. Charging documents do not allege the car was stolen, though it didn't have any plates. Hernandez-Garcia, who is charged with the death of a Castlemont math teacher, delayed entering a plea until June 20. OAKLAND, Calif. - The attorney of an 18-year-old charged with felony vehicular manslaughter after the CHP pursued him and which led to the death of an innocent Castlemont math teacher in Oakland told KTVU a different version of events ahead of his Monday court hearing. Attorney Roseann Torres said that Eric Scott Hernandez-Garcia, who is "deathly afraid of police" was out on May 28 getting snacks at the store in his mother's Infiniti G35 when a California Highway Patrol officer started pursuing him. Authorities originally stated that the car was stolen. But Hernandez-Garcia, through his attorney, insists it was not; he said his mother owns the car. Video at the scene showed the Infiniti had no rear plates, something that Torres was not immediately able to explain. However, the teen's claims appear to have validity. On Monday, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Roberto Morales told KTVU that deputies spotted an Infiniti G35 driving recklessly on May 5 and issued a "seizure warrant" for the car. Morales acknowledged that deputies did not know who was driving at the time and said at that point, the car had rear plates and did not come back as stolen. It was this car that the CHP spotted on May 28, leaving the parking lot near the intersection of 102nd Avenue and International Bouelvard, when the driver took off. Hernandez-Garcia was driving the car that day. It's unclear if the Infiniti had plates on May 28, and if it didn't, how the CHP was alerted to the fact that the car was wanted. Torres also emphasized that Hernandez-Garcia had no weapons or drugs on him at the time, and that police had tried to stop him before, but he doesn't know why. She described Hernandez-Garcia as a scared teen, and is very traumatized by police. Torres asked, and was granted, her client's plea to be delayed until June 20. "All the police reports, the witnesses, Ring cameras, and things that are mentioned that we'll be obtaining," she said outside court. "We have to get the full extent of the evidence before we start the case, so today is too soon after the incident happened." Hernandez-Garcia was supposed to graduate Aspire High School this Saturday. On Friday, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Hernandez-Garcia with seven felonies following the death of Marvin Boomer, a beloved Castlemont High teacher. Boomer was walking with his girlfriend at 7:45 p.m. at East 21st Street and Park Boulevard. At the same moment, California Highway Patrol officers were in pursuit of Hernandez-Garcia because they recognized his "wanted" Infiniti. Hernandez-Garcia ended up striking a minivan with two people inside, and then, five blocks later, a parked car, a tree and a fire hydrant, which ended up getting knocked off its base and flying into Boomer, killing him. According to a statement from Michelle D. Bernard, president and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, who described herself as the official spokesperson for the Boomer family and his girlfriend, Boomer's family is "grief-stricken over the devastating and senseless loss." Bernard said that Boomer pushed his girlfriend out of the way, as the Infiniti was barreling toward them, saving her life. "It is clear that Marvin's actions spared her from also being killed," Bernard said in a statement. Boomer's sister and girlfriend, who did not identify herself by name, also issued statements on Monday, asking for privacy. "Marvin gave his life to save mine," his girlfriend wrote. "I'm still here because of him. But I lost the love of my life. I am living with unimaginable pain—physical and emotional. Let Marvin's legacy be honored with truth, dignity, and care." Click to open this PDF in a new window.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tributes pour in for 'Dr. Boomer,' Castlemont math teacher killed in Oakland chase
OAKLAND, Calif. - On the day that he was killed – caught up as an innocent bystander in a CHP pursuit of a stolen car suspect – Castlemont High School math teacher Marvin Boomer was dressed in a plaid jacket and tie. Boomer was participating in an Urban Design Academy Pathway project that involved students giving presentations on the sustainability of the Coliseum stadium. Ray Bobbitt, founder of the African American Sports Entertainment Group, was there. "He looked like a Harvard professor," his Castlemont colleague, George Arterberry, said on Friday night as more than 100 people came out to mourn his death. "And he wanted these kids to know this: that it matters. He dressed like it was an inauguration. Nobody else does that." That was just one of the many stories colleagues, students and strangers told about Boomer, 40, who was killed in a freak accident on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. at East 21st Street and Park Boulevard while he was taking an evening stroll with his girlfriend – hours after that Urban Design Academy presentation. But just as he was walking on the sidewalk, California Highway Patrol officers were in pursuit of an 18-year-old who they say stole an Infiniti G35 and then was driving "recklessly" in an attempt to evade police. The teenage driver, Eric Hernandez-Garcia, ended up striking a minivan with two people inside, and then, five blocks later, a parked car, a tree and a fire hydrant, which ended up getting knocked off its base and flying into Boomer – some of which was captured on a neighbor's Ring video. Water spewed all over the neighborhood. Boomer's girlfriend went up the stairs to a pastor's home to get help. But it was too late. Boomer had died. Hernandez-Garcia was charged with seven felonies on Friday, including vehicular manslaughter, to which he did not enter a plea. Castlemont High also held its graduation of seniors earlier in the day, and at 6 p.m., many of his students and co-workers gathered at the site where he was killed. People praised Boomer's brilliance, his humility and his love of the underserved community in which he had called home for nearly a decade, after moving to Oakland from Memphis, Tenn. "Memphis is a lot like Oakland, just bigger and Blacker," Arterberry said, noting that they had both worked at Castlemont High for eight years, two doors down from each other. "So he knew this kind of ZIP code. So he took to the 'Deep East' very quickly. And this man was a master degree Black math teacher." Arterberry described Boomer's math class as the place to be. The blinds were closed. Soft jazz played. Boomer lit up a lava lamp. "And his class was just getting off on doing math," Arterberry said. "It was very chill." Several students, current and former, said that Boomer was the only math teacher who made the subject understandable for them. He also had a sense of humor. One student referred to him as "Mr. Boom Boom." Only one speaker took to the microphone to bring up the highly controversial matter of police chases, as the issue has been thrust into the spotlight by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who implored Oakland in December 2024 to loosen its chase policies to that of the CHP, where officers can pursue suspects for crimes that are not violent. Newsom and others say that Oakland is a magnet for criminals who know they can get away with stealing property if law enforcement won't go after them. But advocates of Oakland's more strict pursuit policy point to tragedies like the one that befell Boomer as a reason to abort a chase if it's not an urgent matter of life or death. A man who identified himself as Jaime from Dare to Struggle Bay Area, said that it's "really upsetting" not to place blame for Boomer's death on the CHP. But Cat Brooks, founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project and the organizer of the vigil, quickly shut him down, saying that Boomer's family and friends did not want to shadow the event with talk of politics and blame. Instead, the crowd was there to honor a man who held education on a pedestal. Boomer – Dr. Boomer – as many people called him, earned his Master's degree in teaching from Belmont University and a PhD in philosophy and educational research and policy analysis from North Carolina State University, according to his LinkedIn. He was hired at Castlemont High in 2017 and has been there ever since. One friend, who was wearing a "Danger: Education Black Man" shirt, described how he loved having long talks with Boomer about a variety of deep subjects. "Boomer was a Black man and he was a doctor," his friend said. "That's even more rare than a unicorn. We lost a star here and this did not have to happen." In addition to loving school and his students, friends described Boomer as a foodie and a God-fearing man. They said he had no biological children, but he poured that fatherly energy into his students. Arterberry mentioned that Boomer had two brothers who died and had two or three sisters. Boomer's girlfriend, who was injured in the pursuit, did not appear to be at the vigil. But many of his "Castle" colleagues were, as were Councilwoman Charlene Wang and state Assemblywoman Mia Bonta. That includes Castlemont teacher Brenda Franklin, who saw him after his Coliseum presentation on Wednesday, when he shared a bit of his celebratory Raising Cane's lemonade with him. She called him "brilliant," a "visionary," a "leader." Franklin also said that Boomer encouraged her to go back to school to get her masters. She recalled a time when he came to her house for six hours to help her apply to school. "You can go to school, you can get your masters," she recalled him saying. She earned her higher degree last June. "I got in graduate school, y'all, because of Dr. Boomer believing in me," she said. "I might go get my doctorate now in the name of him.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Teacher at Oakland's Castlemont High identified 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. What we know An Oakland Unified School District board member confirmed the man killed was a teacher at the school. In a letter obtained by KTVU, Castlemont High's principal, Joseph Blasher, addresses the community, sharing the tragic news. In part, the letter reads, "Dr. Marvin Boomer tragically passed away last night. Dr. Boomer was a beloved and vital member of the Castlemont family, having served as a math teacher and pathway coach for the past eight years. His warmth, wisdom, and joyful spirit left a lasting impact on countless students and colleagues." Blasher goes on to acknowledge that Thursday was the last day of school for students and Friday is graduation, but despite their commitment to focusing on the students, there is a profound sense of loss. "Dr. Boomer's absence will impact all of us," the letter reads. The principal has set aside Monday, June 2, to offer space for the community to grieve and honor Dr. Boomer. Blasher said details are forthcoming and Boomer's family will be consulted on those plans. "Dr. Boomer was more than a teacher – he was a mentor, a friend, and a source of strength and inspiration in our halls," Blasher's letter reads. "His legacy will live on in us and in the countless lives he helped shape long after this tragedy." A second version of the letter obtained includes information on emotional support available for the Oakland Unified School District community. Meanwhile, Anti Police-Terror Project, a grassroots group that is critical of law enforcement, posted information for a candlelight vigil in Boomer's honor. That vigil will be held on Friday at 6 p.m. at 12th Avenue and East 21st Street in Oakland. The flyer for the event reads, "An educator, artist, and entrepreneur killed last night by a reckless CHP pursuit." APTP's post on social media said "Bring candles. Community will be speaking out." The backstory We have reported that an innocent bystander pedestrian was killed and at least two others were injured following the CHP pursuit in Oakland on Wednesday. At around 7:45 p.m., CHP was pursuing a car at East 21st Street and Park Boulevard. But the suspect, driving a stolen Infiniti G35, crashed into a woman driving a minivan. That's when CHP called off the chase. However, the suspected stolen car was monitored from above by a CHP plane. Police said the car continued to drive recklessly and crashed at East 21st Street and 12th Avenue without any officers behind him. However, in that crash, a man and a woman, both in their 40s, were struck on the sidewalk by the suspect vehicle. An 18-year-old suspect driver, Eric Hernandez Garcia, was arrested by CHP officers who chased him down. While the woman who was struck was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive, the man, later identified by school officials as Boomer, was pronounced dead at the scene. "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. KTVU spoke to a man who said his wife and a friend were in the minivan that was struck in the first crash. William Duarte said his wife suffered injuries to her leg and neck, and she 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. Many in law enforcement, including the governor, say officers need as many tools as they can to go after people who commit crimes. 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.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man interferes in police pursuit of brother, both arrested in separate chases.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) arrested two brothers in separate pursuits on Wednesday night, WSP said in a release. At around 8:20 p.m., WSP says troopers tried to pull over a Honda Civic on I-90 near Preston for improper merging. After not stopping, troopers started a pursuit. Video posted by WSP shows that while troopers were chasing the driver, an Infiniti G35 coupe, pulled up and started to interfere with the pursuit. The driver of the Honda lost their right rear tire and spun out trying to exit near Issaquah, while the Infinity went around and sped off back onto I-90. The Honda drove away from troopers and back onto I-90 westbound in the wrong direction. WSP troopers coming to assist further away on I-90, slowed down traffic in anticipation of the Honda heading their direction. Dashcam shows the driver coming toward troopers head-on and then swerving across all four lanes and crashing into a ditch on the shoulder. State Patrol says that the driver, 21-year-old Victor A. Hernandez-Paredes, was arrested for eluding, reckless endangerment, obstruction, and DUI. A woman was also in the passenger seat with a child in her lap, but no injuries were reported. The Infinity was later seen on traffic cameras in Bellevue, and the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) alerted WSP of its location. 18-year-old Daniel O. Hernandez-Paredes, the brother of the first driver, was found and arrested for eluding, reckless driving, and obstruction.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Yahoo
1 person critically injured after being hit, dragged by reckless driver in Marietta
Channel 2 Action News obtained exclusive video of a scene where a driver hit a 19-year-old in a Marietta parking lot just before police arrived on Friday night. It happened in the Westside Plaza at the corner of Powder Springs Road and Sandtown Road. The video shows two cars doing burnouts, spinning in circles in a parking lot for several minutes before police arrived. Police provided Channel 2's Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell with photos of a silver Infiniti G35. Police said the driver of that car is responsible for hitting and critically injuring the victim. As each of the two cars reached high speeds, people stood so close, some with phones in their hand to record videos, that they nearly got hit. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] At one point, you can see people hanging out of the window of one of the cars before it speeds off. A smaller car then comes into view and does the same behavior. For nearly 10 minutes, each car spun in circles until police arrived. Police said Jeremias Perez was either standing or walking at Westside Plaza, and as the Infiniti was leaving the parking lot, the driver hit and dragged Perez with the car, failing to stop. Police are hoping the images will give them leads as to who was driving. Police said they have located the suspect's vehicle and have identified a person of interest. Their investigation is continuing. If you have any information about this incident, you are urged to contact Marietta police at 770-794-5300 or call 911. TRENDING STORIES: 2 deputies shot, 1 dead after traffic stop in Columbia County Bystanders describe DeKalb grocery store shooting that seriously injured 2 innocent people Family of murdered Fulton Co. teacher shines a light on loved one's life [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
