Coroner's Inquest Held In Police Chase Deaths Of Mom, 1 Of 2 Twin Sons

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A coroner's jury reached a finding Friday in a coroner's inquest into the March 2023 deaths of a mother and her young son during a police chase.

Ryniqueka Dowell, 31, died March 23, 2023, and her son, 6-year-old Jamari Humble, died March 27, 2023, from injuries suffered when the driver of a stolen car collided with the woman's car near Parker Avenue and 4th Street in unincorporated Rodeo. Jamari's twin brother, Jamani, survived the crash.

The night of the crash, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office notified the Hercules Police Department around 7:30 p.m. that the driver of a stolen Mazda SUV — later identified as Ralph Ellsworth White III, 21, of Vallejo — was heading eastbound on Interstate 80 toward the City of Hercules.

According to the Contra Costas District Attorney's Office, a Hercules officer saw the SUV exit Willow Avenue and tried to pull White over but he sped away from the police car. Shortly after, White ran a red light and collided with Dowell's car.

White ran from the scene but police set up a search perimeter and took him into custody a short time later at a nearby liquor store. He was later charged with two counts of homicide and several other crimes.

Dowell died at the scene. Jamari died four days later in the hospital. Jamani was treated for serious injuries.

A coroner’s inquest, which Contra Costa Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving law enforcement personnel, is a public hearing during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jurors can choose from four options when making their findings: accident; suicide; natural causes; or, at the hands of another person, other than by accident.

After hearing testimony Friday from witnesses including the officers involved in the chase, jurors decided the latter — at the hands of another person other than by accident — was the manner of death for both Dowell and Jamari was at the hands of another person.

Family members of Dowell and and her son have filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging the chase was "reckless and unreasonable," and named White, the city of Hercules and Contra Costa County as defendants.

Attorneys for Jeffrey Humble —Dowell's husband and Jamari's father — say a stolen car doesn't justify risking the lives of bystanders to apprehend the driver.

Contra Costa Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Jimmy Lee told Patch the jurors' inquest finding is a separate issue from law enforcement's involvement in the incident as the inquest was solely for determining the victims' manner of death.

Contra Costa District Attorney's Office Spokesperson Ted Asregadoo was not able to say whether the ruling changed anything regarding the law enforcement personnel who were present during the double-fatal incident.

"In order to preserve the integrity of the investigative process, we can’t make any public comments at this time," Asregadoo told Patch.

White has remained in Contra Costa County jail since his arrest. His trial is set to start Sept. 9 in Martinez.

In addition to the homicide charges, White has also been charged with fleeing a peace officer's vehicle resulting in great bodily injury to Jamani, hit-and-run driving resulting in death, receiving stolen property —the Mazda CX-9 he was driving — carrying a loaded, stolen, unregistered handgun, receiving a stolen California license plate, possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm with the serial numbers removed and two special enhancements for committing the crimes while out on bail.

— Bay City News Service contributed to this report.