A beloved Oregon bartender tragically lost his life in a senseless hit-and-run after trying to stop thieves from stealing from his car.
Stephen Hayes, 38, bravely confronted a group of people who were trying to take his bike on Friday afternoon in Hood River – about an hour outside of Portland.
As he did so, the thieves, identified as William Edward Hardy Jr., 36, and Elizabeth June Bowman, 41, sped away in a white truck and ran Hayes over, leaving him ‘mortally injured,’ the Hood River Police Department said.
Officers found him lying in the middle of the road near June Street around 3.45pm. Despite life-saving efforts from paramedics, he died at the scene.
Police are currently hunting a possible third suspect, 31-year-old Johnathan Matthews, who they believe is connected to the crime.
He was described as a ‘houseless resident of The Dalles’ and is believed to be in the area, authorities said.
A candlelight vigil was held for Hayes, who was also known as one of the ‘sweetest souls’ in the community.
Loved ones and dear friends gathered across the street from Solstice Pizza – where Hayes worked as a bartender and server.
Suzanne Wright Baumhackl, the co-owner of the restaurant, said that no matter how lost everyone is right now, ‘Steven is guiding us.’
‘You cannot prepare for something like this, and we don’t know what to do. But the only thing we can do is come together,’ Baumhackl told KOIN.
‘So we’re just really putting out an invitation for people to come together because I believe that the fear and the pain really can be softened a little bit by just being together in community.
‘So I think Steven is guiding us, and that’s what he would want and do something about.’
The restaurant also posted several pictures of Hayes in his element behind the bar, as well as images of him enjoying nature.
‘We’re going to carry his beautiful spirit with us for a long time. We just want to show them that the community comes out when bad things happen,’ Baumhackl added.
A beautiful chalk mural was also left on the sidewalk near Hayes’ home. Flowers were also left on the windshield of his car.
A GoFundMe page was created to support his grieving family following his death.
‘Last week, our community lost one of its sweetest souls in a tragedy. Stephen’s love for the outdoors, work ethic, thoughtfulness, and passion for social causes have touched many of our lives,’ the page read.
Other than being a great co-worker and beloved employee by many customers, Hayes was also a son, boyfriend and grandson.
‘Stephen was someone we could always rely on and who always offered support in any way he could. Now together we can help pass that along to the ones he cared about most,’ it continued.
As of Tuesday morning, more than $15,600 was raised.
Hardy and Bowman have both been charged with second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle in connection to the late bartender’s death, per court documents by KOIN.
Bowman’s bail has been set at $100,000 while Hardy’s is $ 1 million.
Hardy is a homeless man and Bowman is a Hood River resident, according to police.
The department also shared images of Matthews to its Facebook account, as he was seen smoking a cigarette with a black beanie and tan jacket on.
As of Tuesday morning, he is still on the run. Residents are encouraged to contact the police immediately if they spot Matthews in the area.
DailyMail.com contacted the Hood River Police Department for more information.