Oakland teacher ID'd as pedestrian killed by driver who lost control following CHP chase

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland school officials say a well-known teacher was the one killed after a CHP car chase.

The California Highway Patrol is clarifying the timeline of events that led up to that accident.

CHP said they had stopped the ground chase of a vehicle 20 seconds before the car they were pursuing lost control and killed the teacher.

Video captures deadly Oakland crash following CHP chase

Video captured the suspect's car careening down an Oakland street, hitting pedestrians following a CHP chase. One of the two people hit has died.

Flowers, candles, and notes that read, "Love you Mr. Boomer," at the site where a driver speeding away from CHP officers, lost control and hit two people, killing one man. Friends and school officials say that man was Marvin Boomer, a teacher at Castlemont High School in Oakland.

"He was HBCU alum, he was in a fraternity - this is hard," cried one person.

Former students and friends of his showed up where this happened Thursday.

"I do feel like it was a blessing having him at Castlemont. Me and him really connected because we both are really passionate about the development of youth," said Khantane Jackson who was a friend of Boomer.

A vigil will be held for Boomer on Friday. Those who knew him say he inspired them.

"It was very inspiring to me as a Black man," said Khantane. "When they looked at him, they could see themselves in him. To go see him get his doctorate was really so special to me in so many ways."

How it unfolded

"I heard the noise - bam! Like an earthquake," said Oakland resident Sarah Polk, describing the sound of the crash.

She lives in the house where, outside, Boomer was hit and then flung into the staircase railing leading to her doorstep. Polk says she rushed out to help, joined by other neighbors.

UPDATE: Students remember Oakland teacher fatally struck by CHP chase suspect as inspirational, kind

"(He) got tangled in my rails, some kind of way. I don't know how they got in there," explains Polk.

"I don't know if it was five seconds after the crash, or 10 seconds. But very soon after, we heard sirens, police coming up here. They stopped in front. I then saw a man running on foot," says Michael Eastwood, who lives across the street from the crash site.

Eastwood shared video of the suspect taking off after the crash, chased by police and CHP. The suspect was caught and arrested.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Driver hits and kills pedestrian, injures another after being chased by CHP in Oakland: police

But Eastwood is concerned about high-speed chases. This fatal crash comes a week after OPD made a formal request to the Police Commission to ease its pursuit policy. Currently, OPD must terminate a chase if it exceeds 50 miles per hour, without permission from a superior officer.

CHP, which has been operating in Oakland to assist OPD, has a less restrictive policy.

"I am horrified that CHP is doing that in general. And even more appalled that it sounds like the city of Oakland is thinking of going back to doing things like that. In my view, that will make out neighborhood much less safe," says Eastwood.

Thursday night, CHP sent out a timeline of what happened and when it happened. They first tried to stop the driver at 102nd Avenue and International Boulevard because his car was wanted for fleeing from Alameda Deputies.

MORE: Oakland PD chief proposes changes to pursuit policy after Newsom threatens to yank CHP help

Then 37 seconds later, CHP called off the ground chase but followed the vehicle from their chopper for 15 minutes.

The driver stopped near East 18th and Park, blocks from Lake Merritt, even getting out of the vehicle. CHP approached and there was another chase.

Within 30 seconds, the suspect crashed his vehicle into a minivan at Park and 21st Street. Then 25 seconds later, CHP stopped the ground pursuit. The CHP helicopter was still following and 20 seconds later, the suspect crashed into and killed Mr. Boomer.

Late Thursday, the principal of Castlemont High School sent out a letter to the community, saying in part saying: "I want to extend my deepest condolences to everyone impacted by this loss. Dr. Boomer was more than a teacher-he was a mentor, a friend, and a source of strength and inspiration in our halls."

Thursday was the last day of school, Friday is graduation, but there will be an official event to bring the community together. That will be held on June 2 with details to come.