PG&E: About 700 in Kern could face blackout today

High winds have prompted Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to announce the utility plans to turn off power early this morning to 655 customers and 34 medical baseline customers in Kern County, according to PG&E in a news release.

The weather conditions, combined with exceptional doubt conditions and extremely dry vegetation, could run the risk of wildfires, the company stated.

The Kern County coroner ruled the manner of death for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle to be an accident.

Maria Angela Morales, 72, was hit by a vehicle on Sept. 27 at Comanche Drive, north of Russell Street, in Arvin.

The Arvin woman died at the scene from blunt injuries at 7:30 a.m., according to the coroner.

A man died Tuesday night on Highway 178 in a head-on collision, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Police say Wofford Heights resident Barbara Chrisman, 68, was driving east on Highway 178 at an unknown rate of speed. The man, whose name has not been released, was driving west on Highway 178 west of Upper Ridgebar.

The deceased driver traveled onto the right shoulder, when his vehicle struck the raised asphalt curb, the CHP said in a news release. The car lost control, careened across the double yellow lines and collided head-on into Chrisman’s 2020 Ford Explorer, according to CHP’s news release.

Both cars had major front-end damage. The man died and Chrisman was taken to Kern Medical with moderate injuries, police say.

The driver who died was not wearing a seatbelt, the CHP said in a news release. Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor in this crash, the CHP added.