The man killed in a motorcycle crash Wednesday on Highway 12 in Santa Rosa has been identified as Sebastopol resident William "Billy Bob" Boltz, an avid biker and owner of Triple Crown Awards.
Boltz, 51, died Wednesday night after he was sideswiped by a full-size van and sent into a guardrail near Dutton Avenue around 5:35 p.m., the CHP said.
The van driver, Santa Rosa resident Nathan Ham, 32, later said he hadn't seen Boltz or his motorcycle, the CHP said.
Boltz died at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the Sonoma County Coroner's Office said.
His son, Santa Rosa resident Nick Conroy, said from the trophy and engraving shop Thursday that he was grateful at least that his father lived long enough to see Conroy's baby daughter, born last May, and a grandson born to Conroy's brother about two years ago.
"At least he got to meet his grandchildren...and it was so important to him," Conroy said. "He always, he said, &‘Family's all you got.' He's told me that since I was a kid."
Boltz is survived by his wife of 15 years, Bobbie Jean Gannon-Boltz, Conroy said.
He was a Mason for whom family members are planning a Scottish Rite funeral.
Boltz ran the Gravenstein Highway trophy shop started by his father, Roy, in 1968, for about the past 12 years, Conroy said.
"He was going for a ride (Wednesday) because it was an OK day yesterday," Conroy said. "Anybody who knows my father in this town - which is just about everybody - knows that he was very passionate about his motorcycle, and he lived - he enjoyed every day that he was alive."
Authorities said he was westbound on his 1996 Harley-Davidson and was passing the 2003 GMC van when Ham shifted into the fast lane, crashing into the motor bike.
Ham was uninjured, authorities said.
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