A beloved Oakland math teacher's death during a California Highway Patrol chase has reignited fierce debate over police pursuit policies as the city mourns the loss of an educator who dedicated his life to empowering students. Dr. Marvin Boomer, 39, was killed Wednesday evening when an 18-year-old fleeing CHP officers lost control of a stolen vehicle, striking a fire hydrant that broke off and fatally struck the Castlemont High School teacher as he walked with his partner.
The Fatal Pursuit
The incident began around 7:30 p.m. when CHP officers attempted to stop Eric Scott Hernandez-Garcia near 102nd Avenue and International Boulevard, according to KTVU, recognizing his Infiniti G35 as wanted in connection with a felony evading charge from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. The vehicle had no license plates and was reported stolen.
Officers pursued for just 37 seconds before discontinuing the ground chase, as reported by NBC Bay Area, allowing a CHP aircraft to monitor Hernandez-Garcia as he drove across the city for 15 minutes. When he briefly stopped at 1844 5th Street near Lake Merritt and began to exit his vehicle, approaching ground units prompted him to flee again.
CHP reinitiated pursuit, but within 30 seconds, Hernandez-Garcia crashed into a minivan at Park Boulevard and 21st Street, injuring two occupants. Officers discontinued the pursuit for a second time, yet the suspect continued driving recklessly, according to SFist. Twenty seconds later, at East 21st Street and 12th Avenue, his vehicle struck a fire hydrant, parked car, and tree. The broken hydrant flew into Boomer, who appeared to push his partner to safety in his final moments.
A Life Dedicated to Education
Boomer held a doctorate in philosophy from North Carolina State University with a focus on educational research and policy analysis, as reported by KQED. He served Castlemont High School for eight years, first as a math teacher and later as head of the career education department and pathways coach. His colleagues describe him as a mentor whose warmth and wisdom left lasting impacts on countless students.
"Dr. Boomer was more than a teacher—he was a mentor, a friend, and a source of strength and inspiration in our halls," said Principal Joseph Blasher in a letter to the school community, obtained by CBS San Francisco. The tragedy occurred just one day before the last day of school and two days before graduation ceremonies at the Paramount Theatre.
Former student Alexandrea Avalos, who graduated from Castlemont in 2019, recalled how Boomer was always sensitive to students going through issues at home, adjusting his grading accordingly, according to The Oaklandside. His caring personality inspired her to become an after-school program leader. Students affectionately called him "Boom Boom" and said his classroom was a place where difficult subjects became easier to understand.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Hernandez-Garcia made his first court appearance Friday in Alameda County Superior Court, where he did not enter a plea to felony charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit-and-run causing injury or death, and reckless evading of police, as reported by KTVU. He remains in Santa Rita Jail without bail.
The 18-year-old defendant has requested to find his own attorney as he faces charges that could result in significant prison time. The crash investigation involving the minivan is being handled by CHP, while Oakland Police Department is investigating Boomer's death, according to NBC Bay Area.
Regional Pursuit Policy Context
The incident has amplified ongoing tensions over Oakland's restrictive police pursuit policy, which currently allows officers to chase only suspects of violent crimes or those believed to have firearms. Governor Gavin Newsom has repeatedly criticized Oakland's policy as an "extreme outlier" and threatened to withdraw CHP support if changes aren't made, as reported by CBS San Francisco.
Between 2019 and 2022, Oakland police initiated 354 chases resulting in 14 injuries and no deaths, while CHP engaged in 1,235 chases in the same period with 35 injuries and two fatalities, according to analysis by The Oaklandside. Statewide data shows Oakland's pursuit-related injury rates were actually lower than many comparable jurisdictions, despite political pressure to loosen restrictions.
The California Highway Patrol operates under different, less restrictive pursuit policies than Oakland police. CHP pursuits resulted in fatal collisions about 0.4% of the time statewide, compared to Oakland's 1% fatality rate for its more limited chases, according to CBS San Francisco.
Similar Regional Incidents
This tragedy follows several recent Bay Area pursuit-related fatalities. In March, a passenger was killed in Pittsburg when a CHP pursuit ended in a collision, as reported by SFist. On Super Bowl Sunday, a fleeing driver crashed into a Mission District parklet, injuring six people.
Nationwide, police pursuits between 2017 and 2022 resulted in at least 3,336 deaths, according to a San Francisco Chronicle investigation cited by SFGATE. Of all pursuit-related crashes in California during 2022, 34 people were killed and 1,345 injured, with five fatalities being uninvolved third parties.
Community Response and Vigil
Over 100 mourners gathered Friday evening at East 21st Street and 12th Avenue for a vigil organized by the Anti Police-Terror Project, as reported by The Oaklandside. Castlemont students and teachers, many wearing school sweaters, hugged and cried as they left flowers at the base of the damaged tree that stopped Hernandez-Garcia's vehicle.
"Police high-speed chases kill more people every year than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and lightning combined," said Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project. "They do not prevent crime. They do not solve crime," Brooks told KQED, calling for an end to what she termed "reckless" chases.
Pastor James Polk of the Greater House of Prayer, who lives at the crash site, stayed with Boomer's body for hours praying over him until the coroner arrived, according to The Oaklandside. Neighbors have begun gathering signatures for speed bumps and traffic calming measures in the residential area.
Oakland Crime Trends and Policy Debate
Oakland saw significant crime reductions in 2024, with violent crime dropping 19% and homicides falling 32% to 81 murders, according to The Oaklandside's analysis of Oakland Police Department data. However, the year ended with a spike of five homicides between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as reported by KTVU, tempering celebrations of the overall improvements.
The political pressure to modify pursuit policies comes as Oakland faces budget constraints and continues recovering from years of high crime rates. CHP surge operations in 2024 recovered $13 million in stolen goods and arrested over 1,400 suspects across Bay Area locations, with Oakland being a primary focus, according to CBS San Francisco.
Educational Institution Impact
Castlemont High School, located at 8601 MacArthur Boulevard, serves approximately 700 students as part of a TK-12 campus in East Oakland. The school is part of Oakland Unified School District, which is exiting state receivership after 22 years following financial struggles, as reported by The Oaklandside. The district continues to face enrollment declines and budget pressures while providing wraparound services through the Full Service Community School model.
School officials have postponed planned community events to process the loss, with a formal memorial gathering scheduled for June 2. The graduation ceremony proceeded Friday as planned, with Boomer's absence deeply felt by the community he served with dedication and love.
