BPD clears officers in shooting death in Pumpkin Center
The Bakersfield Police Department announced Thursday it has cleared five officers involved in a fatal shooting April 12 in Pumpkin Center.
BPD said in a news release that a review by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the BPD’s own Critical Incident Review Board determined all shots fired by Bakersfield police “were within department policy and within legal requirements.” It added the employees have returned to full duty.
The investigation focused on the officer-involved shooting death of 34-year-old Javier Vidal, who the department noted was being sought on suspicion of murder and kidnapping. A BPD sergeant noted KCSO deputies and California Highway Patrol officers may also have fired at Vidal.
Vidal, originally listed as being age 36 at the time of his death, had just shot his pregnant girlfriend in the 7800 block of Florence Street in Lamont before dying in an hours-long standoff that began when officers arrived in the 2900 block of Taft Highway.
The girlfriend, identified as 34-yearold Auderyanna Diana Rivera, later died from her injuries at Kern Medical but her daughter was successfully delivered and taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera.
The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the community’s help finding a teen reported missing Tuesday.
Police said Angel Benny Arausa was last seen on June 1 in the 6800 block of Rolling Ridge Drive. Arausa is considered at risk due to no prior history of running away. Arausa is described as Hispanic, 17, 5’ tall, 143 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. It’s not known what he was wearing at the time.
Police ask that anyone with information about Arausa’s whereabouts call BPD at 327-7111.
The coroner’s office has identified the man who was shot in the neck and killed Dec. 4 in the alley behind the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue in Bakersfield.
Raul Francisco Nunez, 33, died at the scene at 9:06 p.m., according to a coroner’s report. His death is a homicide.
A Bakersfield man found dead after a November fire in southeast Bakersfield died from acute methamphetamine,
morphine and fentanyl toxicity, according to the Kern County coroner’s office.
Rodolfo Saenz, 51, was found dead at 6:06 a.m. Nov. 12 after a residential fire in the 1300 block of Cottonwood Road, the coroner reported.
His death is considered an accident, the coroner’s office reported.
A woman who was found dead in a Bakersfield home Dec. 10 was stabbed multiple times and her death is a homicide, the Kern County coroner’s office reported Thursday.
Rosie Lee Howard, 73, was found at 6:22 p.m. Dec. 10 in a residence in the 1500 block of Cheatham Avenue, the coroner reported.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office previously said deputies and Kern County fire personnel received a call and responded to the area. They arrived to hear a verbal argument and a woman screaming from inside a residence, and heavy smoke was coming from inside.
KCSO previously said an individual was detained near the scene and was interviewed by detectives. The person was released pending further investigations, KCSO said.
The Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone with information call 861-3110 or Secret Witness at 322-4040.
A 28-year-old Walnut resident was identified as the man who was struck and killed by a vehicle late Saturday while walking near westbound Highway 58 and South H Street.
According to the Kern County coroner’s office, Steve Alejandro Ibarra died at 11:04 p.m. at the scene of the accident.
The Kern County coroner’s office has identified a man who died when his bicycle was struck by a vehicle in Lamont.
Ernesto Ramirez-Hernandez, 43, of Lamont died at 12:40 a.m. Sunday on westbound DiGiorgio Road, east of Myrtle Avenue in Lamont, the coroner’s office reported.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
A Lamont teen who crashed a vehicle after he was shot died in the Dec. 11 incident.
The coroner reported that Antonio De Jesus Perez Ramirez, 17, died at 1:29 p.m. in the 1500 block of Bush Street in Arvin.
The Arvin Police Department is investigating the incident.