Coroner Identifies Glen Ellen Man Killed During Santa Rosa Pursuit

SONOMA COUNTY, CA—A Glen Ellen resident was identified as the victim in a crash Monday in Santa Rosa involving a suspected DUI driver.

Robert "Bob" Halmayr, 28, died shortly after 10 p.m. Monday when he was struck by at the intersection of Montgomery Drive and Farmer's Lane, the Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner's Office said.

Halmayr was driving a silver Toyota Camry north on Farmer's Lane when he was struck by a Nissan Maxima driven by Aaron Rodriguez Hernandez, 21, of Santa Rosa, authorities said.

The impact pushed both cars into the parking lot of St. Eugene's Cathedral. Halmayr was pronounced dead at the scene.

Friends called Halmar a "lightning ball of charisma." A childhood friend of Halmayr's told the Press-Democrat they were to be groomsmen at a friend's wedding in two weeks.

Rodriguez Hernandez was taken to an area hospital and treated for moderate injuries suffered in the crash. Following his release from the hospital, he was booked into Sonoma County jail by the CHP on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, DUI drugs with injury, driving without a license and violation of probation.

Rodriguez Hernandez remained in custody Friday without bail, with a court appearance set for Monday morning.

According to Santa Rosa police, an officer had been searching for the gray Nissan Maxima driven by Rodriguez Hernandez since witnessing him speed down E Street near 7th Street. The officer trailed Rodriquez Hernandez down city streets but did not have continuous visual contact and was not in aposition to conduct a traffic stop, police said.

As Rodriguez Hernandez traveled east down Montgomery Drive, the officer again caught sight of the car from a distance, police said.

Because of the circumstances surrounding the incident, the Santa Rosa Police Department invoked the Sonoma County Critical Incident Protocol and requested an independent investigation into the events leading up to the crash. The investigation is being led by the California Highway Patrol and Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.

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