A bizarre highway crash claimed the life of Ray Hartmann, a journalist who spent nearly five decades shaping public discourse in St. Louis, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The 73-year-old died after tires from a tractor-trailer detached, went airborne and struck his vehicle on Interstate 64.
Hartmann was driving eastbound on I-64 near I-270 in west St. Louis County around 2 p.m. when two tires came loose from a towed unit on a westbound tractor-trailer, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The tires hit the median, launched into the air and slammed through the roof of his Chevrolet Bolt. Emergency responders took him to Mercy Hospital St. Louis, where he was pronounced dead, though his family said they believe he died at the scene.
Andy Leonard, Hartmann’s attorney and longtime friend, confirmed the death on behalf of the family. Hartmann is survived by his wife, Kerri Hartmann, and their two children, Ben and Brielle, who were both at college when the accident occurred.
A Towering Figure In St. Louis Media
Hartmann founded the alternative weekly Riverfront Times in 1977, building it into a fearless publication known for skewering the powerful and championing the underdog. Colleagues say the paper became a model for alternative weeklies across the country.
He later relaunched St. Louis Magazine in the mid-1990s and served as its publisher and owner until selling it in 2018. Writer Jeannette Cooperman, who worked with him at both publications, was among the many journalists he mentored. Martin Duggan, the original provocateur of “Donnybrook,” was Hartmann’s own longtime mentor.
In 1987, Hartmann co-created “Donnybrook,” the weekly roundtable program on Nine PBS that grew into one of the most-watched local public affairs shows in the country. He sat at the Donnybrook table for nearly 40 years, rarely missing a week.
Longtime friend and Donnybrook host Charlie Brennan told 5 On Your Side: “He launched this program, this weekly roundtable discussion show, which is still on the air today. That’s a tremendous legacy.” Fellow panelist Alvin Reid said Hartmann brought intensity and purpose to every discussion. “Ray was determined to make a difference in St. Louis. He wanted to make a difference on every show,” Reid said.
Brennan said that he and Hartmann were “kind of like brothers,” and his friend was as warm as he was sharp. Above all, friends said, Hartmann’s identity was rooted in his family. Brennan said Hartmann rarely had a conversation without mentioning his children. “First and foremost, he was a great father to his kids,” he said.
From Speechwriter to Congressional Candidate
Born and raised in West County, Hartmann liked to joke about growing up on its “mean streets.” He attended Parkway Central High School, where he was later inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. At the University of Missouri, he served as editor-in-chief of The Maneater twice — the only student to hold the post twice in the storied paper’s history.
After graduation, in a twist that surprised many who later knew him as a progressive voice, Hartmann worked as a speechwriter for then-Gov. Christopher “Kit” Bond, a Republican. He famously quipped about his role in Bond’s failed 1976 reelection campaign: “I did such a spectacular job in that role that the voters picked Joe Teasdale and sent us home.”
In 2019, Hartmann joined KTRS, where he hosted “St. Louis In The Know With Ray Hartmann.” He stepped away from media in 2024 to mount his own bid for office, running for Congress in Missouri’s 2nd District. He won the Democratic primary but lost to incumbent Republican Rep. Ann Wagner in the general election, who secured a seventh consecutive term. Following the defeat, Hartmann transitioned to fundraising consulting for area nonprofits.
A City in Mourning
Within hours of the news, a makeshift memorial appeared outside the Nine PBS building in St. Louis. The station released a statement describing the entire Donnybrook family as “shocked and deeply saddened,” calling Hartmann “a cornerstone of St. Louis journalism and a foundational voice of Donnybrook.”
Kerri Hartmann, in a statement to local media, summed up what so many in the city were feeling: “It’s such a tragic loss. He was dearly loved. We’re going to miss him so much.”
Nine PBS announced it would air an extended episode of “Donnybrook” at 7 p.m. on April 30, in Hartmann’s honor.
