California Highway Patrol officers are trying to figure out what caused a deadly chain-reaction collision on State Route 119 that killed three people and sent another to the hospital. The multi-vehicle crash shut down Taft Highway near Harrison Road on Saturday night, September 26, as investigators worked through scattered debris.
According to crash reports, the wreck happened around 7:41 p.m. A 2020 Ford Ranger was traveling eastbound along the highway when it crossed into oncoming traffic. It collided head-on with a westbound 2015 Mercedes sedan carrying two Bakersfield residents, 29-year-old Jose Ivan Martinez Birrueta and 26-year-old Nathan Steve Martinez.
The head-on impact crushed the front of both vehicles. Jose Ivan, who was driving the Mercedes, and Nathan, who was in the passenger seat, died from their injuries before medical crews could get them into an ambulance.
The driver of the Ford Ranger was also killed in the crash. State troopers have not released his name because officials are still working to confirm his identity and locate his relatives. He remains listed as a John Doe in official coroner records.
The initial impact triggered immediate danger for another driver on the roadway. A 2018 Honda HR-V was following directly behind the Mercedes when the crash occurred. The Honda driver had no space to steer clear as metal debris flew off the colliding cars and struck her crossover.
Paramedics treated the Honda driver, a woman from Santa Maria, for major injuries right on the highway. Emergency medical teams stabilized her at the crash site before rushing her to a local hospital for emergency care.
State Route 119 stayed blocked off near Harrison Road for hours while crash reconstruction officers mapped out the scene. Investigators say they have not ruled out any factors yet, and toxicology results are pending to determine if alcohol or drugs played a role in the fatal wreck.
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