Barstow Man Arrested After Fatal Hit-and-Run That Killed Thomas Rhynes III
Suspect in Fatal Barstow Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident is Arrested
BARSTOW, Calif. (June 18, 2026) — A suspect has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that left 71-year-old Thomas Rhynes III of Barstow dead after he was struck while walking along East Main Street earlier this month.
Authorities identified the suspect as 34-year-old Kevin Lashawn Farmer of Barstow, who was taken into custody June 11 following an investigation by the Barstow Police Department.
Man, 71, Killed in Main Street Pedestrian Accident
The fatal collision occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. on June 1 in the 1100 block of East Main Street. Police responded to reports of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle after witnesses reported that a dark-colored SUV fled the scene without stopping.
When officers arrived, they found Rhynes suffering from catastrophic injuries in the roadway. Paramedics rushed him to Barstow Community Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators shut down East Main Street for several hours while they documented evidence and searched for clues about the fleeing vehicle. Detective Bryce Carson led the investigation, which eventually identified the suspect vehicle as a black Chevrolet Tahoe.
Police later located the Tahoe abandoned in Victorville. Detectives continued their investigation and ultimately identified Farmer as the person allegedly behind the wheel at the time of the collision.
At approximately 1 p.m. on June 11, Carson located Farmer in the 1600 block of State Street and arrested him without incident.
Suspect Kevin Lashawn Farmer Charged for Hit-and-Run
Farmer was booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s High Desert Detention Center on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run resulting in death.
According to jail records, Farmer faces charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and leaving the scene of a collision involving injury or death. He was being held on $100,000 bail and was scheduled to make an initial court appearance in Victorville Superior Court.
The circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation.
Anyone with information related to the collision is encouraged to contact Detective Bryce Carson of the Barstow Police Department at (760) 255-5183. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the WE-TIP crime hotline.
Got Legal Questions? Get Answers: 1-800-208-3538
When it matters most, trust Attorney James Johnson at Johnson Attorneys Group. We are a personal injury law firm serving clients who have been injured throughout California due to negligent motorists. If you were hurt in this collision, call 1-(800) 208-3538. We will request the police report, and the attorney will discuss your options. You are under no obligation to hire us, and there is no cost unless we win your case. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
