Woman Killed in Taft Highway Crash Near Tupman Road in Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(May 15, 2025) — A 38-year-old Taft woman died in a crash involving a semi-truck and SUV Tuesday on Highway 119 near Tupman Road in Bakersfield.

The deadly collision occurred around 4:47 p.m. on May 13th, just east of Tupman Road, according to the California Highway Patrol Buttonwillow station.

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The woman was driving westbound in a black 2014 Ford Explorer on Taft Highway at the same time a 30-year-old man from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, was driving a 2025 Kenworth semi truck eastbound.

The two vehicles collided between Tupman Road and the Interstate 5 Freeway, police said. The SUV reportedly caught on fire and spread to nearby brush on the side of the roadway.

Several good Samaritans were at the scene attempting to extinguish the fire before firefighters arrived. However, at least one person died at the scene. The Kern County Sheriff-Coroner has not released the victim’s name at this time. Meanwhile, the truck driver was treated for minor injuries following the collision.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to CHP Buttonwillow.

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