Beloved journalist is killed in freak accident as tires come crashing through vehicle on highway

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:24, 28 April 2026 | Updated: 00:41, 28 April 2026 Longtime influential journalist Ray Hartmann was killed in a freak accident in Missouri after two tires flew off of a tractor-trailer and crashed into his car.  Hartmann, 73, was driving down Interstate 64 on Thursday at around 2pm when two tires flew through the roof of his car, striking and killing him.  Investigators determined that the tires had come off a tractor-trailer, hit the median and flown into the air, crashing down onto Hartmann's car, the Missouri State Highway Patrol told WVLT.  The journalist was well known in St Louis as the founder of the Riverfront Times and St Louis Magazine – as well as spending nearly 40 years on PBS's Donnybrook. While a rare tragedy, Nick Chibarria, a spokesperson for the AAA, told the outlet that Hartmann's death serves as a horrific reminder of the dangers of the road.  'We know that things can happen in a split second out on the roadway. This is an unfortunate and tragic reminder,' he said.  'It's pretty unusual and no other way to describe it other than a freak accident when something like this happens.' PBS affiliate Nine PBS released a statement remembering Hartmann which said they were 'shocked and deeply saddened' to hear of his death.  Longtime journalist Ray Hartmann, 73, died following a tragic accident in Missouri where two tires came loose and landed on his vehicle Hartmann was driving down Interstate 64 on Thursday at around 2pm when the tires had come off a tractor-trailer, hit the median and flown into the air, crashing down onto Hartmann's car Denise Lieberman, a Washington University professor of law and general counsel at Missouri Voter Protection Coalition seen next to Hartmann, described the journalist as a 'long-time friend and community legend'  'Ray was a cornerstone of St Louis journalism and a foundational voice of Donnybrook, but most of all, he was our beloved friend,' the statement read.  'For nearly four decades, Ray was at the Donnybrook roundtable, rarely missing a week, delighting viewers with quick-witted and highly opinionated conversations about issues shaping our region.' 'As a co-creator of the program in 1987, Ray helped establish Donnybrook, earning a devoted audience and national recognition as one of the most-watched local public affairs programs in the country,' the statement continued.  'Nine PBS extends our deepest condolences to Ray's family, friends, colleagues, and the many viewers who welcomed him into their homes each week.  'Ray’s impact on our region and our work will stay with us always.' Charlie Brennan, a fellow panelist on the show, told WVLT that he spent decades with Hartmann and the pair grew into good friends.  'We were kind of like brothers,' he said. 'Ray Hartmann is actually in a book about St Louis characters. He was a character, a character we all loved.' Hartmann's wife, Kerri Hartmann, told KSDK: 'It's such a tragic loss. He was dearly loved. We're going to miss him so much.'  Nine PBS released a statement remembering Hartmann which said they were 'shocked and deeply saddened' to hear of his death  Hartmann is survived by his wife, Kerri Hartmann, and his two children, Brielle and Ben Matt Coen, the owner of St Louis Magazine, said in a statement emailed to the Daily Mail: 'Ray’s impact as an entrepreneur, as the founder of the Riverfront Times, as a defender of the First Amendment, and as someone deeply invested in the best parts of politics and civic engagement was an inspiration. He believed deeply in the role local journalism could play in making a city better, and he brought both conviction and energy to that work.' 'I know he was also a great father and friend to many, and the comments on our Facebook page are a reminder of just how many fans, admirers, and people whose lives he touched are feeling this loss today,' Coen added.  Sarah Fenske, executive editor of the magazine and former coworker of Hartmann's, said in a statement to the Mail: 'Ray was a smart, feisty man who never backed down from an argument and relished journalism's role in afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.  'He was an excellent writer and an even better talker. His death is truly a shock to the community, and I've heard from countless people who can't believe he's gone.' Bryon DeLear, CEO of Sustainable Equity LLC, described Hartmann's death as senseless and wrote on Facebook: 'Ray was so much more than just a colleague; he was a brilliant collaborator, and a trusted sounding board. We worked together advancing clean energy initiatives in Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio.' 'Whenever we collaborated on framing policies, he brought an unparalleled perspective to the table. Ray had a profound grasp of the human condition, and his politics were always meticulously well thought out. He used to speak about his time writing speeches for Republican Governor Kit Bond - Ray's politics, his progressivism was never just ideological; it was always backed by genuine practicality and wisdom. He was a "Show Me" progressive, after all,' DeLear continued.  'He understood people, and he never hesitated to call out policies or practices that were fundamentally anti-human. One topic we discussed several times was the insidious nature of predatory lenders and the banking system.  'Ray clearly saw the penalizing realities of compound interest if you got on the wrong side of that cow, and how nearly impossible it is for folks to dig themselves out once they get caught in that debt machine. He advocated for fairness because he genuinely cared about the struggles of others. Hartmann's wife, Kerri Hartmann, said: 'It's such a tragic loss. He was dearly loved. We're going to miss him so much' Hartmann was described as a 'giant' and a 'legend' with an influential voice that fought for St Louis 'RIP Ray Hartmann. Your absence will leave a gaping hole in St Louis thought leadership.' Denise Lieberman, a Washington University professor of law and general counsel at Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, described Hartmann as a 'long-time friend and community legend.' Lieberman said the pair had been working together, as recent as April, seeking grants to help fund the coalition.  'I first met Ray while I was in high school, an aspiring journalist myself, and an ardent reader of the Riverfront Times, at that time a vanguard publication that did some terrific investigative journalism,' she wrote on Facebook.  'We continued to work together, while I was president of the Young Democrats - he showed up for our events; when I was president of National Women's Political Caucus in St Louis - we gave him a Good Guy award; we auctioned off lunch with Ray at multiple NARAL auctions while I was on the Board, and of course we worked together closely while I was Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union.  'Then I'd await his regular phone call most Thursday afternoons, before he did Donnybrook, when he'd check in on the hot civil liberties issues and cases of the week, that he'd then discuss on the show.  'And when the ACLU went through crisis, he lead a reform effort that landed him as board President. I went to his wedding, where we all boarded a train to beautiful Missouri wine country. And more recently, he had me as a frequent guest on his radio show to discuss all things voting rights.  'I actually owed him a return phone call that I didn't get to this week, because I was "too busy." I didn't always agree with Ray, but he was always up for a feisty debate. And no one can disagree that he was an icon and left our community better for it. A jarring loss, and a reminder that life is short.' Fox 2 journalist Jasmine Huda, seen with Hartmann, recalled meeting Hartmann on a Ladue Junior High School field trip as an aspiring journalist Amber Benge, co-leader at Indivisible St Louis and former friend and employee of Hartmann's, wrote that his passing was 'devastating' and described him as a 'legend.' Fox 2 journalist Jasmine Huda recalled meeting Hartmann on a Ladue Junior High School field trip as an aspiring journalist.  'Years later, I found myself sitting across from him on Donnybrook...and as a guest on his radio program that he co-hosted with Jay Kanzler on KTRS...Same sharp mind. Same generosity. Same love for St Louis,' she wrote on Facebook.  Huda added that the experience was a 'full circle moment I didn't fully appreciate at the time.   Kevin Wafford, CEO at 4 Point One Entertainment, remembered Hartmann as a 'giant' for his voice, vision and 'in the way he fought for his city.' 'He founded St Louis Riverfront Times, a paper he insisted remain free so everyone, not just a few, could access real journalism. That alone says everything about the kind of man he was,' he wrote.  'Ray was an entrepreneur in the purest sense. He didn’t wait for permission, didn’t follow trends - he created them. He built platforms, launched ideas, and opened doors that didn’t exist before he pushed them into being. His work wasn’t just business; it was service. 'Through it all, he dedicated his life to keeping downtown St Louis relevant, vibrant, and worth believing in. He championed the heart of the city when others walked away. He kept the lights on, kept the conversations going, and kept the pressure on leaders to do better.'  The longtime journalist was well known in St Louis as the founder of the Riverfront Times, St Louis Magazine as well as spending nearly 40 years on Nine PBS's 'Donnybrook' Hartmann is survived by his wife and his two children, Ben and Brielle.  An investigation into the crash that took Hartmann's life remains ongoing, the outlet reported.  The Daily Mail reached out to the St Louis Magazine and The Missouri State Highway Patrol for comment.  The comments below have not been moderated. 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