Politics & Government

Expect Traffic Delays Friday for Slain Deputy's Memorial Service

About 1,000 people expected to honor Jim Mathiesen at Marin Civic Center, so Highway 101 flow could be a problem.

Heading southbound on Highway 101 on Friday morning? Heading back toward Novato in the mid-afternoon? Alter your plans so you don’t get snarled in traffic related to the public memorial service honoring slain Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy . Or, if you're attending, make sure to leave early.

The memorial will be at the Marin County Veterans Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael at 11 a.m. July 29 and about 1,000 people are expected to attend in honor of the Petaluma resident who was July 19 while off duty as he was assisting a friend with a domestic dispute. A has been set up to benefit the Mathiesen family.

The auditorium doors open at 9:30 a.m. Friday. San Rafael police said law enforcement and other public safety vehicles will be pouring into the Marin Civic Center area at that time, so southbound drivers from Novato should expect delays near the Manuel T. Freitas Parkway exit and North San Pedro Road exit on Highway 101.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Traffic on North San Pedro Road, Civic Center Drive, Redwood Highway and Scettrini Drive might be severely impacted during this time period. There will also be heavy foot traffic coming from the Civic Center and crossing Civic Center Drive.  

Traffic could be affected at about 4 p.m. when the service is expected to end as well.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

San Rafael police said parking is prohibited from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. in two locations: both sides of Civic Center Drive starting at Peter Behr Drive and extending south approximately 700 feet; and on McGinnis Parkway from Civic Center Drive to past Embassy Suites Hotel. 

Mathiesen, 49, was shot and killed by Novato resident Thomas Edwin Halloran at a rural residence near Petaluma. A nine-year sheriff's office veteran, Mathiesen went to the residence unarmed and off duty late Monday night after Halloran's ex-girlfriend notified him Halloran had texted death threats to her. Mathiesen was a close friend of the woman and her family.

One of those family members then shot and killed Halloran after Halloran shot Mathiesen twice in the chest and took a woman hostage in a garage at the residence.

Halloran had a previous conviction for making threats against another ex-girlfriend three years ago, records show.

For more information about the service, go to www.marinsheriff.org.


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