Clips offer clues on hit-and-run victim’s final hours

Napa County sheriff’s officials are trying to identify two men who were seen with a Rohnert Park woman a few hours before she died in a suspected hit-and-run crash on a rural road in November.

Sheriff’s officials today posted a video on YouTube of 57-year-old Maria Cruz Pascual Bejar with the men at two Mexican restaurants, one in Cotati and one in Santa Rosa, on the night of Nov. 15.

 

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Bejar was found with major injuries around 4:45 a.m. on Nov. 16 in the southbound lane in the 4100 block of state Highway 29 near Old Lawley Toll Road. Sheriff’s Capt. Doug Pike said Bejar was run over by a vehicle and was pronounced dead on arrival at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with blunt force trauma.

The two Hispanic men are considered persons of interest. One is 28 to 40 years old and between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with a medium build, black hair and a goatee. The other is 25 to 35 years old between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall with a heavier build and short dark hair, Pike said.

Bejar, a native of Spain, worked at a group home for teen boys and had acquaintances in the East Bay, sheriff’s officials said. Friends said she did not own a car and traveled by bus.

She left her Rohnert Park home at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 for the Santa Rosa Plaza, then arrived alone around 6 p.m. at Quincy’s Pub and Grill at 6590 Commerce Blvd. in Rohnert Park, Pike said.

The video shows her at 8 p.m. at Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant at 7600 Commerce Blvd. in Cotati, where she met two Hispanic men at the bar. Pike said an employee said it appeared they were meeting for the first time. All three left around 10:30 p.m. and Bejar is seen in the video holding hands with the man who had a goatee.

The three are then seen at the Casa Del Mar restaurant at 3660 Stony Point Road in Santa Rosa, where they arrived around 11 p.m. Witnesses said the trio were dancing there until 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 16, Pike said.

Investigators hope someone can identify the men in the video. Anyone with information is asked to call the Napa County Sheriff’s Office’s Investigations Bureau at (707) 253-4591 or to leave an anonymous tip with Napa Valley Crime Stoppers at (800) 450-9543. People can also text a tip to 274637 with “NVCS” at the beginning of the message.