Luis Antonio Merced Jr Obituary, Death;- The Kern County Coroner’s Office has identified the driver killed after a solo-vehicle crash on Highway 99 as 35-year-old Luis Antonio Merced Jr. of Bakersfield.
The California Highway Patrol said on Friday, July 11, 2025, at around 7:38 p.m., CHP Bakersfield Area units responded to Highway 99, south of Kimberlina Road, for a report of a solo-vehicle traffic crash.
CHP said a preliminary investigation found Merced Jr. was driving a 2002 Ford Escape northbound on Highway 99, south of Kimberlina Road, at an undetermined rate of speed. According to CHP, for reasons still under investigation, the Ford veered towards a northeasterly direction and left the east road edge of Highway 99. The Ford continued in a northeasterly direction on the dirt shoulder and became airborne as it drove over the dirt berm of the Kimberlina Road onramp to northbound Highway 99.
CHP said as a result, the Ford crashed into the dirt gore point area, north of the onramp, causing the Ford to roll over CHP said Merced Jr. was unrestrained and was subsequently ejected from the Ford and onto the south dirt embankment of Kimberlina Road. Merced Jr. died. CHP said it is unknown whether alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in the crash.
