Bakersfield, CA – In the early hours of Thursday, September 3, 2026, a two-vehicle collision resulted in the death of Esteban Flores Flores, 68, of Bakersfield, and left another driver injured, according to KBAK.
The California Highway Patrol reports that the accident took place around 4:48 AM at Panama Road and Tejon Highway.
Authorities said Flores Flores was driving a 2001 Honda Civic eastbound on Panama Road, west of Tejon Highway, at an unknown speed, while a 64-year-old McFarland man was driving a 2007 Toyota Tacoma southbound on Tejon Highway at approximately 60 miles per hour. At this intersection, eastbound and westbound traffic on Panama Road is controlled by stop signs, while traffic on Tejon Highway is not.
For reasons still under investigation, Flores Flores continued through the intersection and collided with the Toyota. As a result of the impact, he died. The Toyota driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to Kern Medical.
It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash. The Kern County Coroner’s Office formally identified Flores Flores following his death.
Stop Sign Laws
California law requires drivers to come to a complete stop at a Stop sign (California Vehicle Code 22450). Drivers may only enter the intersection when it appears safe for all parties to do so (California Vehicle Code 21802).
Bakersfield Car Accidents and Wrongful Death and Personal Injury Claims
California law requires drivers to come to a complete stop at posted stop signs and yield the right of way to cross traffic before proceeding through an intersection. When a driver fails to yield and causes a fatal collision, that driver’s estate may be considered to have committed negligence per se, increasing its share of liability for the resulting death and injuries.
Flores Flores’s family may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim, while the injured Toyota driver may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim. These claims can provide compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to the accident.
Bakersfield Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, at Panama Road and Tejon Highway, contact a California wrongful death lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
