Bakersfield, CA — Hit-and-run suspect Gael Garcia, 22, has turned himself in to the Bakersfield Police Department in connection with a collision on the afternoon of Thursday, September 24, 2026, which left a 5-year-old child critically injured, according to KGET.
According to the BPD, the accident took place around 2:05 PM at Tyree Toliver Avenue and Wilkins Street, a residential intersection in Bakersfield’s Lakeview area.
Authorities reported that a woman was driving westbound on Wilkins, with her children in the vehicle, when a truck carrying two occupants was driving south on Tyree Toliver Ave. The truck allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of the two streets and broadsided the woman’s vehicle on the passenger side. Investigators have stated that there was no stop sign controlling her direction of travel on Wilkins Street.
The 5-year-old child sustained critical injuries due to the impact, and emergency responders provided an airlift to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera.
Both occupants of the truck reportedly fled the scene on foot. The passenger was found and taken into custody shortly after, and Garcia, the suspected driver, turned himself in to BPD traffic investigators on Tuesday, September 29th, with his attorney present. He was booked into the Lerdo Detention Facility on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.
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 Hit-and-Run Accidents and Personal Injury Claims
If Garcia is convicted of having performed a hit-and-run, he may be determined to have committed “negligence per se”, which means that, by violating the law, he will be considered to have been negligent in this collision, thereby increasing his share of liability for the victim’s injuries.
Regardless of the outcome of the criminal proceedings related to this accident, the victim’s mother may have grounds to pursue a personal injury claim. A personal injury claim can provide compensation for her child’s medical expenses — including any long-term physical rehabilitation or mobility devices required — pain and suffering, and other damages.
Bakersfield Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident similar to the one described here, at Tyree Toliver Ave and Wilkins Street, consider reaching out to a California personal injury lawyer with any questions and to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation.
