BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — In 2025, there were more than 500 alcohol-involved crashes recorded in Kern County, more than 850 injuries from those crashes and nearly 40 deaths.
That’s just last year alone, which makes the 13th Annual Mothers Against Drunk Driving Dash a necessity in continuing to raise awareness and remember the lives lost to drunk driving.
“She loved to sing and dance and was a very loving little girl,” said Lorraine Duran.
Duran is describing her daughter Lily, who was 21 months old when she, her father and Duran were driving home, and got rear ended on the I-41 near Lemoore, in 2018.
Move with MADD to support intoxicated crash survivors
“And honestly it just sounded like a loud bomb, I didn’t know what happened. I didn’t see anybody coming and then once we stopped spinning, I was trying to figure out what happened,” said Duran.
“It was just too much for her little body,” said Duran.
That crash has altered Duran’s life, but every MADD walk is a chance to connect with a community who grieves like her.
“You feel that sense of community and comfort. Even though I never go a year without crying at these events, and I feel like it helps. Helps me get her name out there, get her face out there,” said Duran.
Jovon Dangerfield is still new to this pain.
“I was just refusing to believe it, I just did not believe it for like the first like night or two,” said Dangerfield.
Dangerfield received a call last October, telling him that his 20-year-old son Cameron was struck by a drunk driver on his way to Sacramento.
“From that moment it became personal to me because Cameron had a lot of dreams and aspirations. He was a very hungry, humble, smart, creative, funny, caring and influential guy, and he had big dreams,” said Dangerfield.
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Dangerfield is a community advocate himself within Kern County, the loss of his son, made the MADD movement even more meaningful.
“We do see a future where Bakersfield can become safer. We do see the need for us to come together and try to love each other genuinely,” said Dangerfield.
The MADD 5K will take place at the Park at Riverwalk at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, click here for more details.
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