Coroner: Man died in prison from strangulation
The Kern County Coroner’s office reported Monday that a man who was killed at North Kern State Prison in Delano in February was strangled.
Juan Pablo Villanueva, 53, died at
9:03 a.m. Feb. 24 and his death was a homicide, the coroner’s office said. The cause was ligature strangulation.
The body of a man recovered from the Kern River by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Search and Rescue Team was identified by the coroner’s office.
Raymond Donald Leivas, 62, of Bodfish was found at 9:46 a.m. May 20 in the river near Weldon. He had been reported as a missing person from the Bodfish area on May 4, the coroner’s office said Monday.
An autopsy will be done to determine the cause and manner of Leivas’ death.
An 18-year-old Shafter man died when he struck a power pole in April, the Kern County
Coroner’s office reported Monday.
Jose Antonio Mendoza Torres veered off 7th Standard Road, west of Martin Avenue in Bakersfield at 4:28 p.m. April 9 and crashed, the coroner’s office reported.
The California Highway Patrol investigated the incident.
The Kern County Coroner’s office on Monday released the name of a man who died when
he veered off a road and struck a tree.
Scott Eric Walters, 50, of Tehachapi died at 6:11 a.m. Feb. 21 on northbound Highway 99 north of Herring Road in Bakersfield.
The California Highway Patrol investigated the crash.
A Bakersfield woman died after she was hit by a train in February, the Kern County Coro
ner’s office reported Monday.
Felicia Guillen Ascencio, 26, died at 12:23 p.m. Feb. 24 when she was walking at East Truxtun Avenue and Kern Street in Bakersfield.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is investigating the incident.
The Kern County Coroner’s office on Monday released the name of a man who died in a
collision in February in Tehachapi.
Johnnie Steven Binegar, 67, of Tehachapi died at 2:08 p.m. Feb. 15 on Tehachapi Willow Springs Road, south of Highline Road.
The California Highway Patrol investigated the collision.
A 37-year-old Weldon man died May 14 when his motorcycle collided with another vehi
cle, the Kern County Coroner’s office reported Monday.
Christopher James Brewer died at 8:49 p.m. that day on Highway 178, west of Powers Lane in Weldon.
The California Highway Patrol investigated the crash.
The Kern County Coroner’s office on Monday identified a motorcyclist who died in a
collision with a vehicle on Sunday.
Gregory Charles Salyer, 68, of Bakersfield died at 1:21 p.m. at Kern Medical after the incident at 11:18 a.m. at State Road and Airport Drive in Bakersfield.
Bakersfield Police said on Sunday that the motorcyclist was going west on State Road entering the intersection when the driver of the vehicle failed to stop for the red light northbound, causing the collision, BPD said in a news release.
The man driving the vehicle stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, BPD said. Drugs, alcohol and speed were not factors in the collision, police said.
Police ask that anyone with information call 661-327-7111.
The Kern County Coroner’s office on Monday identified a 60-year-old pedestrian who was
struck by a vehicle on May 14 and died.
Pete Castaneda of Bakersfield died at 4:20 a.m. that day on Olive Drive, east of State Road in Bakersfield.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating.
A Bakersfield man died May 16 after he was struck by a vehicle on Highway 119 east of
Hughes Lane, the Kern County Coroner’s office reported Monday.
Ignacio Alejandro Razo, 33, was walking at 10:07 p.m. May 15 when he was hit. He was taken to Kern Medical, where he died at 12:27 a.m. the next day.
The California Highway Patrol investigated the incident.
Fourteen people were arrested Monday during a warrant sweep by deputies of the
North Area Substations that covered Buttonwillow, Wasco, Shafter and McFarland, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
The warrants were for a mix of felonies and misdemeanors.
Along with the warrants, one man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and one person was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.