Shafter man crashes into tree, dies

A man crashed into a tree and died around 2 a.m. Friday on Lerdo Highway in Shafter, according to the Kern County coroner’s office.

Tabass Zebadee Grandison-Mendoza, 51, of Shafter veered off the road at the intersection of East Lerdo Highway and North Cherry Avenue and hit a tree, according to the coroner. He died at the scene.

A woman who was hit by a vehicle died around 2 a.m.

Saturday at the intersection of Ming Avenue and P Street, according to the Kern County coroner’s office. Pedestrian Estella Andino, 45, of Bakersfield died at the scene, according to the coroner.

A man was denied parole on April 9 for charges related to

violating his previous parole terms for multiple cases of driving under the influence, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.

Steven Wagner, 63, was convicted of a DUI murder after he hit Michael Patrick Davis, 24, with his car, killing Davis in 1988. Wagner was driving under the influence of alcohol with a .26 blood alcohol level, three times the legal limit.

Prior to the crash, Wagner had three previous DUI cases and was on probation, according to the DA.

Wagner spent 32 years in prison for the murder but was released on parole in 2019. That year, he tested positive for methamphetamine while he was participating in a substance abuse treatment program.

In 2021, Wagner was pulled over after running a red light at a high speed and officers found beer cans in his car, according to the DA. Wagner had a .26 blood alcohol content and went back to prison for violating his parole.

The parole board found that Wagner is still a threat to public safety and his next parole hearing will be in a year, according to the DA.

Parole was granted for a man who committed a string

of carjackings in Kern and Tulare counties, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.

Hector Aviles Silva, 41, was sentenced to 34 years in prison on two counts of carjacking with personal use of a firearm, one count of carjacking, one count of kidnapping with personal use of a firearm, one count of dissuading a witness by force or threat with personal use of a firearm, one count of dissuading a witness by force or threat, one count of attempted robbery and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Silva has been in prison for eight years, according to the DA’s Office.

On Nov. 21, 2005, Silva pointed a revolver at a man entering his car and ordered him to drive to an orchard in Tulare County. Once they arrived, Silva ordered the man out of the car and demanded money. He threatened to kill the man if he called the police, according to the DA.

On Nov. 30, Silva asked for a ride from a victim in Kern County and the driver agreed. Once they were driving, Silva pulled out his gun and demanded money from the victim. He left with the victim’s car, wedding ring and wallet, according to the DA.

On Dec. 20, Silva asked for a ride in Tulare County before threatening the driver and demanding money, according to the DA.

On Dec. 22, Silva posed as a potential customer to buy an elderly man’s car. While taking the car for a test drive, Silva pulled out his gun, had the man exit the car and demanded money. That same day, he approached a delivery driver, pointed his gun at the driver and demanded money. But the man threw Silva’s gun into a dirt lot and Silva fled, according to the DA.

According to the DA, Silva committed these crimes to support his drug habits. Silva qualified for early release through Youthful Offender Laws which applies for people who were incarcerated under the age of 26 at the time.

During his crime spree, Silva was 25 years old.