At least one person is believed to have been killed in a crash near California Avenue and Business Center Drive in southwest Bakersfield on Sunday evening. Bakersfield police responded to the scene shortly after 6:30 p.m. and shut down the roadway as the investigation got underway.
An Eyewitness News crew at the scene saw what appeared to be a body covered by a yellow tarp, according to KBAK/Bakersfield Now. As of the outlet's report, authorities had not confirmed the death, released any details about what caused the crash, or said whether anyone else was hurt.
The roadway closure left the area near Business Center Drive blocked off while officers worked the scene, the station's report noted. No further information about the vehicles involved, the exact time of impact, or any arrests had been made public.
A Stretch of Road With a Troubled History
Sunday's crash adds to a string of serious collisions along California Avenue this year. In late June, a suspected drunk-driving crash at California Avenue and Chester Lane killed one driver, per turnto23.com. That driver, traveling southbound on Chester Lane in a BMW, sustained major injuries and was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital, the outlet reported.
Police in that case determined the driver of a Mazda, identified as 23-year-old Bakersfield resident Gavin Mundschau, had entered the intersection westbound against a red light and was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI, according to the same report.
California Avenue has also seen pedestrian tragedies this year. A woman struck outside a crosswalk suffered life-threatening injuries after a driver fled the scene, the Bakersfield Police Department told bakersfield.com. Officers sent to the 3600 block of California Avenue at 12:54 a.m. found the woman in the eastbound lanes with major injuries before she was taken to a hospital, according to the department's news release.
What Remains Unknown
Investigators have not disclosed what led up to Sunday's deadly crash near Business Center Drive, nor have they confirmed the identity of the person believed killed. It also remains unclear whether any other people were injured in the collision. Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
