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Truck, driver sought in teen's hit-and-run death

BY JORGE BARRIENTOS, Californian staff writer
jbarrientos@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Jul 8 2008 9:04 AM

Last Updated: Wednesday, Jul 9 2008 6:55 AM

Shafter investigators are looking for a truck and driver they believe hit and killed a 17-year-old Oildale girl last week on Lerdo Highway before fleeing.

The truck may be a Mitsubishi Mighty Max or a Dodge Ram 50. It would have damage to the left front side and missing the driver's side mirror. Police also have a partial name of the driver, but have yet to release it.

Police said Nancy Medina left her Oildale home with a male companion at 1 a.m. July 2. She was found on Lerdo Highway near Highway 99 after a driver reported a body on the road at about 1:20 a.m.

She was lying in the road when medical personnel arrived. She died from her injuries at 5:30 a.m. at the hospital.

Investigations believe Medina may have gone into the lane into westbound traffic when she was hit. She was thrown more than 100 feet, police said.

Medina was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash — “well over the legal limit,” said Capt. Jeff Bell with Shafter Police Department.

“We are fairly confident she was severely disoriented at the time of the crash and may have gone into the road” Bell said. “Then this guy or gal just hit her.”

Shafter officials reassembled a broken mirror from the roadway at the crash site, and an auto parts dealer confirmed the make and model of the truck it belonged to.

Additionally, police have a partial name and phone number of a possible suspect. The suspect called an auto parts business requesting a replacement front bumper to a similar vehicle.

A 28-year-old friend of Medina deemed a “person of interest” by police was ruled out as suspect last week and has sought legal counsel.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 746-8500.