ST. LOUIS – Journalist and former congressional candidate Ray Hartmann, a longtime fixture on the Nine PBS political commentary show “Donnybrook” and founder of the Riverfront Times, was killed Thursday, April 23, 2026, in a car crash on Interstate 64 in St. Louis County, Mo. He was 73 years old.
Officials said Hartmann was killed when a wheel came off a semi and struck his car on I-64 just west of Interstate 270. The crash happened in the eastbound lanes at the I-270 exit and involved two vehicles, including a tractor-trailer.
A crash report said two tires fell off a towed unit on the tractor-trailer, hit the concrete median, and flew into the air before striking a Chevrolet Bolt. The driver, identified in the report as a 73-year-old man from Richmond Heights, was pronounced dead at an area hospital a short time later. The tractor-trailer’s driver stayed at the scene and is reportedly cooperating with the investigation.
C.J. Nasello, the host of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com, said Ray Hartmann was a very close friend. Ray was supposed to attend C.J.’s wedding reception at Mac’s in Downtown Alton on Saturday, he said.
“Ray meant more to me than I can put into words,” Nasello said. “What he taught me about broadcasting was incredible: how to conduct interviews, how to run a show, how to truly connect with an audience. But what he taught me about humanity mattered even more.
“He showed me how to treat people the right way, how to persevere, and how to enjoy life genuinely. Even though he’s gone, the stories and the memories will stay with me forever. What he gave to St. Louis can never be replicated, and what he gave to me will stay with me the rest of my life.”
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, who defeated Hartmann in November 2024 after he won the Democratic primary in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District, made a statement on social media about the loss of Hartmann.
“I am so deeply saddened to hear that Ray Hartmann was killed in a car accident yesterday,” Wagner said. “Ray was well known across our community as a fixture on Donnybrook and through the numerous news organizations he owned during his career as a journalist. I am praying for Ray and his family during this tragic time.”
Hartmann founded the Riverfront Times in 1976 and remained with the alternative weekly publication for more than 20 years. He helped co-found “Donnybrook” in 1987 and was a mainstay on the show for nearly 40 years. He also hosted “St. Louis In The Know With Ray Hartmann” on KTRS beginning in 2019.
Hartmann is survived by his widow, Kerri, and his children, Benjamin and Brielle, who are both college students, Leonard said. Leonard said the family hopes to have a funeral scheduled sometime in the next week.
