1 Killed, 1 Injured in Crash on Highway 178 Near Kern River Canyon
KERN COUNTY, CA (October 12, 2021) – A head-on crash killed one person and injured another on Highway 178 at the top of the Kern River Canyon.
According to The Bakersfield Now and Kern Golden Empire, the tragic accident took place late Tuesday afternoon. Officers reported the wreck at around 5:15 p.m.
The incident began when a vehicle was traveling west on Highway 178 at the top of the Kern River Canyon. At the same time, a Ford Explorer was going east.
For an unknown reason, the westbound driver drifted into the shoulder. The California Highway Patrol said the vehicle then went into the opposite lane and slammed head-on into the other car.
2 Vehicles Collide Head-On
Firefighters along with the paramedics arrived and found one vehicle over the side of the road. They soon pronounced the 25-year-old man driving westbound dead at the scene.
The driver of the Ford, a 68-year-old Wofford Heights woman, sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision. Medical personnel provided her treatment at the site.
The names of the deceased and wounded parties have not been yet released. Meanwhile, CHP forced a stretch of Highway 178 to shut down for hours near the Kern River Canyon following the wreck.
The cause of the fatal crash is still under investigation.
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