The accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. November 25 at White Lane and Akers Road.
Bakersfield, CA. – 43-year-old Yolanda Ponceaguilera of Bakersfield died after she was struck by a vehicle last month while crossing a street in the city, the Kern County Coroner's Office reported.
The accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. November 25 at White Lane and Akers Road.
Police officers said Ponceaguilera was walking outside of a crosswalk when she was hit by a car.
The pedestrian was rushed to Kern Medical, where she was pronounced dead.
The driver initially fled the scene, but officers located and arrested them on suspicion of hit-and-run and false vehicle registration.
The Bakersfield Police Department is investigating the accident.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) 2022 data, Bakersfield recorded 226 fatal and injury hit-and-run collisions, a significant traffic safety issue for the city. In terms of frequency for this specific collision type, Bakersfield had an OTS ranking of 9th out of 15 similar-sized California cities. Broader statistics emphasize the severity of the issue in the region: Kern County as a whole is ranked 14th in the nation for fatal hit-and-run crashes per 100,000 residents. Pedestrian safety, which is often tied to hit-and-run incidents, is also a major concern, with Bakersfield identified as one of the most dangerous cities in the state for pedestrians, experiencing 181 pedestrian fatalities between 2018 and 2022. These figures highlight an ongoing safety challenge that the OTS and its partners address through various education, enforcement, and engineering programs.
Did You Lose Your Loved One in this Hit-and-Run Accident?
If your loved one was killed in this hit-and-run collision, Pacific Attorney Group highly recommends seeking legal help from a wrongful death attorney. A professional attorney can help you gather evidence related to the crash, advise you on the best legal action you should take, and represent you in a court of law.