County records show that a Santa Rosa man who suffered major injuries in an October 2025 collision with a Sonoma County sheriff’s patrol vehicle later died from complications tied to those wounds. Robert Cydear, 78, was broadsided on Oct. 5, 2025, after pulling out of a Friedman’s Home Improvement parking lot. He was hospitalized and died on Oct. 23, 2025. A county coroner’s report lists complications of blunt‑force injuries to the torso as his cause of death and notes that preexisting cardiovascular disease contributed.
How the crash unfolded
According to the California Highway Patrol, a deputy was driving south on Santa Rosa Avenue with emergency lights on, trying to catch up to two cars suspected of street racing, when the patrol SUV collided with Cydear’s Ford Focus as it pulled out of the Friedman’s driveway, KTVU reported. The deputy and a K‑9 in the vehicle suffered minor injuries. Cydear and his dog were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with more serious trauma.
Autopsy and county response
A coroner’s autopsy detailed multiple rib and pelvis fractures, bruising to the chest and lungs, air and bleeding in the chest cavity, and a broken left clavicle, and it listed complications of blunt‑force injuries to the torso as Cydear’s cause of death, according to The Press Democrat. The coroner’s report ruled the death accidental, said that preexisting cardiovascular disease was a contributing factor, and stated that investigators found no sign that alcohol, illicit substances or cellphone use played a role.
The same report noted that, at the request of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office took over the death investigation and identified the deputy as Sam Camarena Cruz. Sgt. Juan Valencia told reporters that Cruz remains with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and has not been placed on leave.
Investigations moving forward
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office opened an internal administrative review in October “to make sure that the deputy was within policy,” Sgt. Valencia told KTVU. The agency has said it will factor in the California Highway Patrol’s findings once that investigation is complete.
Why the crash matters
The California Highway Patrol said its Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team is analyzing the collision and has asked anyone who witnessed the crash to contact CHP‑Santa Rosa, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Local coverage has documented a string of dangerous incidents linked to illegal racing and has spurred calls for stepped‑up enforcement and community outreach.
Neighbors remember Cydear
Neighbors described Cydear as a gentle veteran and a familiar presence on the block. Jennifer Martinez told The Press Democrat that he was a great neighbor and very kind, and said his death has shaken the community…