Pedestrian Killed in Bakersfield Hit-and-Run Accident
Speed and impairment suspected in fatal Saturday night collision; suspect charged
An unidentified female pedestrian died Saturday night after a hit-and-run crash on Belle Terrace in Bakersfield, according to police. Pedro Contreras, 42, was arrested in connection with the incident, the Bakersfield Police Department reported.
The crash happened at approximately 9:50 p.m. in the 200 block of Belle Terrace. A dark sedan traveling eastbound veered off the road onto the south shoulder and struck the pedestrian, authorities said.
The driver, identified as Contreras, fled the scene, according to police. Rescuers found the woman with major injuries. She died at the scene.
Officers tracked the car to a Bakersfield residence and arrested Contreras. Investigators believe speed and impairment were factors in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation.
The Bakersfield Police Department is the lead agency investigating the case and has requested that anyone with additional information regarding the collision call (661) 327-7111. Contreras was arrested less than an hour after the incident when officers located his dark sedan parked in front of a residence in east Bakersfield. The Kern County Coroner’s Office is expected to release the official identity of the deceased woman at a later time. The roadway has been cleared, but the criminal investigation remains active.
National Legal Analyst Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal, noted that "What's truly haunting about hit-and-runs is the feeling of being abandoned in a moment of crisis. Most of these drivers are caught within forty-eight hours if there's any physical evidence left behind."
In California, the families of deceased pedestrian accident victims may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit to seek compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and emotional distress. When a driver flees the scene after a collision, is speeding, or is intoxicated, these legal actions provide a pathway to hold the negligent party accountable for the life they ended.