Pedro Contreras Arrested in Deadly Crash on Belle Terrace [Bakersfield, CA]

Bakersfield, CA (March 16, 2026) — Police arrested 42-year-old Pedro Contreras after a woman lost her life Saturday night in a hit-and-run crash on Belle Terrace.

Officers with the Bakersfield Police Department responded to reports of a vehicle striking a pedestrian along the 200 block of Belle Terrace at about 9:50 p.m.

When they arrived, they found the woman in the roadway suffering from severe injuries. Despite emergency response efforts, she died at the scene.

Investigators determined that the victim had been standing on the south shoulder of the road when a vehicle traveling eastbound left the roadway and struck her.

Witnesses told police the driver fled immediately after the collision in a dark-colored sedan.

Officers located the suspected vehicle less than an hour later parked outside a home in east Bakersfield. Authorities arrested Contreras on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run resulting in death. Police believe speed and possible impairment played a role in the crash.

Contreras was taken to a hospital for evaluation before authorities booked him into the Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility.

The Kern County Coroner’s Office will release the identity of the victim once her family receives notification. The investigation remains ongoing.

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Sweet Lawyers extend their deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim. Losing someone in a sudden and preventable crash is a heartbreaking tragedy, and we hope her family finds strength and support during this difficult time.

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Belle Terrace Hit-and-Run Collision Wrongful Death Case

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