BAKERSFIELD, Calif – The Kern County Coroner’s Office has identified the victims of a tragic single-vehicle crash that occurred Thursday in Delano.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Elias Antonio Hernandez, 21, of Delano, was driving a vehicle that veered off the north edge of Woollomes Avenue and crashed into several large metal poles and a wooden power pole on the dirt shoulder. Investigators said Hernandez was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A passenger, Andru Luque Felix, 19, also of Delano, was seated in the front passenger seat and suffered major injuries. He was also pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old female passenger seated in the rear sustained moderate to major injuries and was transported to Kern Medical for treatment.
Authorities say it remains unclear whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident that claimed two young lives and left another seriously injured.