Suspect In Woman's Death Took Own Life In Crash: Petaluma Police

PETALUMA, CA — The Petaluma Police Department identified a man and a woman who died early Friday morning: her as a victim of homicide and him when he drove his Harley Davidson motorcycle the wrong way on U.S. Highway 101, intentionally, investigators believe.

Officers responded at 1:21 a.m. to a report from the California Highway Patrol about a fatal crash involving a motorcycle on southbound U.S. 101, north of the East Washington Street overpass.

The motorcyclist, identified Monday by police as 34-year-old Petaluma resident Joseph Dane Beaver, reportedly drove northbound in the southbound lanes and collided head-on with a Honda Fit.

The crash resulted in Beaver's death.

"The impact of the motorcycle into the Honda appeared to have been a deliberate act; the California Highway Patrol classified the incident as being a 'suicide,'" Petaluma police Lt. Ed Crosby said.

The driver of the Honda, a 24-year-old woman whose name was not disclosed, suffered major injuries. She became trapped in her car but a good Samaritan pulled her to safety. Once paramedics were on scene she was taken to a local hospital and was expected to survive, Crosby said.

Meanwhile, around 2 a.m., a concerned relative of 28-year-old Lauren Brittney McCrum called and asked the Petaluma Police Department to send someone to McCrum's apartment in the 700 block of Sixth Street to check on her, Crosby said.

According to police, McCrum was found dead inside her apartment from what appeared to be an act of violence.

She was beaten and stabbed, with multiple injuries confirmed to be from a baseball bat and several knife wounds to her head and neck, police said.

Evidence led investigators to connect the two deaths early on, Crosby told Patch, describing Beaver and McCrum as "domestic partners."

"Based on the circumstances and evidence collected thus far, Beaver is suspected of murdering McCrum; he subsequently drove northbound onto the southbound 101 freeway, where he impacted with the southbound Honda," Crosby said.

Southbound U.S. 101 was closed for about five hours Friday morning as the fatal wrong-way crash was investigated.

"As of this writing, there is no evidence pointing to an outstanding or unknown suspect, nor is there an indicator of an ongoing threat to the general community," Crosby wrote Monday in a news release.

The CHP and Petaluma PD were continuing their respective investigations Monday, with further assistance from the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office. Anyone with information concerning either death investigation was asked to contact Petaluma Police Department Detective John Silva at 707-778-4532.

Editor's Note: If you are struggling with thoughts of taking your own life or someone you know is, please contact the North Bay Suicide Prevention Hotline of Sonoma County at 855-587-6373 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which operates 24 hours a day and can be reached at 800-273-8255.