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Man killed, several injured in pair of wrecks on I-5

The Bakersfield Californian | Saturday, Jul 19 2008 10:04 PM

Last Updated: Monday, Jul 21 2008 7:17 AM

Two accidents, one of them fatal, closed northbound Interstate 5 for two hours early Saturday.

A man died and four people suffered major injuries in the first wreck south of Lost Hills Road, according to a California Highway Patrol news release.

Driver Miguel De La Cruz lost control of his Dodge and it overturned about 4 a.m.

Two passengers who weren’t wearing seat belts were thrown from the car, and one man died from his injuries, the release stated.

His name hasn’t been released by the Kern County Coroner’s office.

The other person, Laura Hernandez, was flown to Kern Medical Center with major injuries.

Other passengers suffered moderate to major injuries and went to KMC by ground ambulance. All six occupants are from San Jose.

About 4:30 a.m., two women were injured in a collision on northbound I-5, north of Highway 46.

Freightliner driver Luis Gonzalez of Wasco was braking in the fast lane because of the first accident, the release stated.

Driver Hannah Brodbeck, in a Honda Fit, apparently didn’t realize Gonzalez had slowed down. Her car hit the back of his truck.

Brodbeck was taken to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital with moderate injuries; her passenger, Kiwi Irwin, suffered major injuries and was treated at KMC.