Crime & Safety
Woman Chasing Man on Motorcycle Caused Fatal Crash
The crash took place just outside of Santa Rosa over the weekend.
By Bay City News
A 28-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with a domestic violence-related crash that killed a man west of Santa Rosa on Saturday afternoon, a Sonoma County sheriff's sergeant said.
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Heather Ann Howell, of Santa Rosa, was booked into Sonoma County Jail for felony vehicle manslaughter with gross negligence and reckless driving causing injury or death.
The California Highway Patrol responded to the crash, which occurred at about 4:45 p.m. on Hall Road near Mancini Road, but turned the investigation over to the sheriff's office because of the domestic violence aspect, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.
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Sheriff's Sgt. John Molinari said Howell, who was driving a black Acura, was chasing a man on a motorcycle. Her car hit another vehicle then struck a small sports car, which flipped and caught fire, killing the driver, he said.
The man who died in the crash was not a party in the alleged domestic violence incident, Molinari said.
An autopsy was conducted today on the sports car driver, and his identity is being confirmed this afternoon through dental records, Molinari said.
The name of man driving the motorcycle has not been released.
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