A pedestrian is dead after a hit-and-run collision involving multiple vehicles left him in the roadway on the 24th Street bridge over the Kern River early Monday morning. The Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Coroner’s Office have released new details about the crash, and the search for the drivers who fled the scene continues.
The crash marks the latest fatal collision on Bakersfield roadways this year and has left neighbors near the Kern River corridor rattled, particularly given that more than one driver appears to have struck the victim and continued on without stopping. Investigators have not said whether the vehicles involved struck him in sequence or at roughly the same time.
Also, determining that sequence, along with identifying each driver, will be central to the case moving forward. For now, the Bakersfield Police Department is relying on tips from the public, surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and any available traffic camera data to piece together what happened on the bridge before sunrise.
How the Crash Happened
According to the Bakersfield Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 24th Street bridge at approximately 5:35 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, after receiving a report of a pedestrian down in the roadway.
When officers arrived, they found a man in the westbound lanes of 24th Street who had been struck by multiple vehicles. Several of the drivers involved left the scene without stopping to render aid or contact authorities. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The bridge itself presents its own hazards for anyone on foot. The span carries multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic over the Kern River with limited pedestrian infrastructure, and in the pre-dawn hours, visibility for both drivers and anyone walking or standing in the roadway would have been minimal.
Investigators have not yet said what the victim was doing on the bridge before he was struck, whether he was crossing, walking along the shoulder, or already down in the roadway when the first vehicle hit him. That detail, along with lighting conditions and vehicle speeds at the time, will likely factor into how liability is ultimately determined among the drivers involved.
Why Leaving the Scene Changes the Legal Picture
California law is unambiguous about what a driver must do after a collision. Under California Vehicle Code Section 20001, any driver involved in a crash that results in death or injury is required to stop immediately, provide reasonable assistance to the injured party, and remain at the scene to exchange information and cooperate with law enforcement.
Fleeing a fatal collision is a felony hit-and-run and can result in criminal prosecution independent of any civil case. For families pursuing compensation, a driver’s decision to flee can also be powerful evidence of fault. Because leaving the scene of an injury collision violates a specific legal duty, a driver who does so may be found to have committed negligence per se.
This means the violation of the statute itself can establish that driver’s negligence without the need for additional proof of carelessness. Under California Civil Code Section 1714, every person is responsible for injuries caused by their want of ordinary care, and a hit-and-run driver’s conduct after the crash can significantly increase their share of liability once located and identified.
The Right to Pursue a Wrongful Death Claim
Regardless of the outcome of the criminal investigation, the family of a pedestrian killed in a crash like this one may have an independent right to pursue a civil wrongful death claim. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60 identifies who may bring such a claim, typically a surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, or other dependents of the deceased.
A related claim, known as a survival action under Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.30, allows the deceased person’s estate to recover damages the victim could have claimed had they survived, such as pain and suffering experienced between the collision and death.
A successful wrongful death claim can provide compensation for funeral and burial expenses, the loss of the financial support the victim would have provided, and loss of consortium, meaning the loss of companionship, guidance, and household contributions the family has been deprived of.
If a government entity’s negligent road design, signage, or lighting contributed to the danger on the bridge, Government Code Section 835 may also apply, though claims against public entities are subject to strict, short filing deadlines.
Families should also be aware of the general time limit for filing these claims. Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, most personal injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the date of the incident, though claims involving government entities require a formal claim to be filed in as little as six months. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar a family from recovering compensation, which is why early legal guidance matters.
Understanding What a Wrongful Death Claim May Be Worth
Every case is different, and the value of a wrongful death claim depends on factors like the victim’s age, income, life expectancy, and the number of dependents left behind. Attorneys and insurance companies commonly use two methods to help estimate the pain and suffering or loss-of-companionship portion of a claim.
The multiplier method takes the total of a family’s economic damages, such as funeral costs and lost financial support, and multiplies that figure by a number typically between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of the loss and the circumstances of the crash. A hit-and-run resulting in death, given the added element of a driver fleeing the scene, often supports a multiplier on the higher end of that range.
The per diem method instead assigns a specific dollar value to each day that a family will feel the impact of their loss, then multiplies that amount over an appropriate period of time, such as the remaining years of the victim’s expected lifespan.
Neither method produces an exact figure on its own. Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys will scrutinize the assumptions behind either calculation, which is why families are encouraged to have an experienced wrongful death attorney evaluate their claim before accepting any settlement offer.
Using a Wrongful Death Settlement Calculator to Estimate Case Value
A wrongful death settlement calculator is a tool that helps families get an early, ballpark sense of what their claim might be worth by organizing the same factors an attorney or insurance adjuster would weigh: the victim’s age and life expectancy, their annual income and expected career earnings, the number of dependents relying on that income, funeral and burial costs, and any medical expenses incurred before death.
Most calculators apply the multiplier or per diem methods discussed above to translate those inputs into a rough dollar range, giving families a starting point for conversations with an attorney rather than a final number.
It’s worth remembering that these tools can’t account for case-specific details that often move a settlement significantly, such as a hit-and-run driver’s flight from the scene, disputes over fault among multiple vehicles, or the strength of available evidence like witness statements and surveillance footage.
Because of that, a settlement calculator is most useful as a first step toward understanding your claim, not a substitute for a full case evaluation with a wrongful death attorney who can factor in the details unique to your family’s loss. Call us now at +1-866-218-3776 to speak with the experts.
Take Action Today – Get the Help You Deserve
“Losing someone to a hit-and-run is a particular kind of pain, because the grief comes wrapped in unanswered questions. Families are left wondering who did this and why they didn’t stop. I want the victims family, and anyone reading this who has lost a loved one this way, to know that you don’t have to carry those questions alone. Our team can work alongside investigators, dig into the evidence, and pursue every avenue of compensation available to you, whether or not the driver is ever identified. If you or someone you love has been hurt or lost in a crash like this, please reach out for a free consultation. Taking that first step now can protect your family’s right to recover what you’re owed later.”- Andy Gillin, GJEL Accident Attorneys
If you or someone you love has been affected by this tragedy or another pedestrian accident in California, you deserve answers and you deserve to focus on healing, not on how to pay for legal help.
That’s why GJEL Accident Attorneys works entirely on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we win compensation for you.
With more than $950 million recovered for clients and over 40 years of experience fighting for injured families across California, our team is ready to investigate this crash, pursue every driver responsible, and fight for the recovery your family deserves. Call us today at +1-866-218-3776 for a free, no-obligation consultation, or visit our Stockton office to get started.
Local Resources and Assistance
Bakersfield Police Department
The lead agency investigating this hit-and-run. Anyone with information about the vehicles or drivers involved should contact the department’s Traffic Division directly.
1601 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 327-7111
Website: https://www.bakersfieldcity.us/257/Police
California Highway Patrol, Bakersfield Area Office
While BPD has jurisdiction over this crash, CHP oversees traffic safety on Kern County’s freeways and can assist with collision reconstruction resources and regional crash data.
9855 Compagnoni Street, Bakersfield, CA 93313
Phone: (661) 396-6600
Website: https://www.chp.ca.gov/find-an-office/central-division/420-bakersfield
Kern County Coroner’s Office
Handles the formal identification of crash victims and can provide families with information on the death investigation and release of remains.
1832 Flower St, Bakersfield, CA 93305
Phone: (661) 392-6700
Website: https://www.kernsheriff.org/Coroner
Kern County District Attorney’s Office, Victim Services Unit
Offers support, case updates, and guidance to families navigating a criminal investigation, including help understanding victims’ rights and applying for California crime victim compensation.
1300 18th Street, 1st Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 868-5960
Website: https://www.kerncounty.com/government/departments/district-attorney/about/divisions/victim-services
California Victim Compensation Board
A statewide program that can help cover funeral, burial, and other eligible expenses for families of crime victims, including hit-and-run fatalities, regardless of whether a suspect is caught.
Website: https://victims.ca.gov
