Woman Denied Parole for Bay Area Revenge Rampage After Boyfriend Killed
A Santa Rosa woman, Heather Anne Howell, was denied parole for a second time after her drug-fueled pursuit of her boyfriend led to the tragic death of an innocent bystander. The incident, which occurred in July 2012, unfolded after Howell, then 28, got into a heated argument with her boyfriend. According to prosecutors, she had been drinking vodka cranberries and using marijuana and cocaine.
After her boyfriend left on his motorcycle, Howell pursued him in her black Acura, reportedly driving erratically at speeds up to 80 mph. Witnesses reported seeing her weave through traffic, run red lights, shout out the window, and make fist-pumping gestures while yelling “yee haw” and pointing her hand like a gun toward her boyfriend.
Six miles into the chase, Howell crashed into the back of a 1969 Triumph convertible driven by Jesse Garcia, a 56-year-old Santa Rosa resident. The collision caused Garcia’s car to flip, trapping him underneath as it caught fire. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
At trial, Howell’s prior DUI conviction and perceived lack of remorse were focal points. After deliberating for just over four hours, a jury convicted her of murder, reckless driving causing great bodily injury, and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Robert LaForge sentenced her to 15 years to life in prison, stating that her apparent displays of remorse were insincere.
Howell first applied for parole in July 2022, but it was denied. This past Thursday, her second request was also rejected. Now 41, Howell is serving her sentence at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, with her next parole hearing scheduled for October 2027.
Following the recent denial, Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez expressed support for the Board’s decision, stating, “After 13 years behind bars, Howell has demonstrated that despite numerous rehabilitative programs, she continues to pose an unreasonable risk of harm to the public.”
