Early Sunday morning, February 23rd, a man lost his life in a hit-and-run accident in Bakersfield, California. Authorities identified him as 34-year-old Marco Antonio Garcia.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the deceased got struck by a car at 12:35 a.m. on Edison Highway, east of Mount Vernon overpass. By the time first responders got to the scene, he had died from his wounds.

The California Highway Patrol and the police have been unable to locate the hit-and-run driver and the car involved in the accident. They have asked anyone with information that could help track down the unknown driver to contact their Bakersfield office.

A driver owes pedestrians a duty of care, and performs that duty by driving within the recommended speed limit and slowing down in places where there are walk signs. Thus, California laws frown against drivers who injure pedestrians and flee from the scene.

California Vehicle Code 20002 provides that a person involved in an accident that damages property or injures a person should stop at the nearest location that does not interfere with traffic or the public’s safety.

The driver must find out the identity of the person and stay behind to help the authorities with the investigation. If it’s a damaged property, the driver must leave behind a note if the owner of the property is not present, and notify the police as soon as possible.

A person charged with a hit-and-run involving death can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony. When it’s the former, he or she faces up to a year in county jail and a fine of $1000.

When it’s a felony, the person faces a fine between $1000 to $10 000 and 16 months to 3 years in state prison.

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