Bakersfield, CA – On the evening of Saturday, June 21, 2025, a series of crashes resulted in the death of Mario Hernandez Ortega, 40, and Luis Alfredo Garcia Lopez, 29, according to KBAK.
The Bakersfield Police Department reports that the incidents began around 6:02 PM near the intersection of Baker Street and Sumner Street.
Authorities first responded to a report of a vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision, where officers found Ortega lying in the roadway with critical injuries. Emergency personnel transported him to Kern Medical for treatment. He later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
While police were still en route to the first scene, dispatchers received additional calls reporting another crash several blocks away near the intersection of Baker Street and Niles Street.
At the second location, officers and fire crews arrived to find two passenger vehicles that had sustained heavy damage. Both vehicles were engulfed in flames by the time responders reached the scene.
Garcia Lopez, who was driving one of the vehicles, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the second vehicle, a man whose identity has not been disclosed, sustained minor injuries. Medical personnel transported him to a local hospital for further evaluation and care.
Based on the initial findings of the investigation, police determined that the surviving driver had been traveling northbound on Baker Street when he struck Ortega in the crosswalk at Sumner Street. After the pedestrian impact, the same driver reportedly continued driving at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at the red light at Niles Street. He then collided with Garcia Lopez’s westbound vehicle in the intersection, resulting in the deadly crash and subsequent vehicle fires.
Investigators have stated that toxicology tests were ordered to assess whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the collisions. Authorities later arrested Reginald Moland, 30, in connection with the crashes. He faces multiple felony charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and felony hit-and-run causing death.
Moland is currently being held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on August 6 for a preliminary hearing. The Bakersfield Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding both collisions.
Wrongful Death Claims
Even if a fatal accident doesn’t lead to criminal charges, families who lose a loved one can still file a Wrongful Death claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. This can provide support to help cover medical bills, funeral expenses, and the loss of income.
Bakersfield Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, contact a Bakersfield Wrongful Death Lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
