Coroner identifies 19-year-old man struck, killed by car on South H Street

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Kern County Coroner’s Office has identified a man who died after being struck by a vehicle on South H Street as 19-year-old Joseph Adam Cruz Jr. of Bakersfield.

RELATED: Pedestrian struck and killed on S. H St. in southeast Bakersfield

The Bakersfield Police Department said on January 11, 2026, at around 1:51 a.m., officers were called to the 4200 block of South H Street regarding a crash between a vehicle and a pedestrian.

When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive man, later identified as Cruz Jr., in the roadway. Emergency medical personnel responded and pronounced the pedestrian deceased at the scene.

Police said a preliminary investigation found that the vehicle was traveling

northbound on South H Street when it struck the Cruz Jr., who was outside of a crosswalk, in the number two northbound lane at the time of the crash.

Police said the involved driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.

According to police, excessive speed and driver impairment were determined not to be factors in the collision.

A GoFundMe was made for Cruz Jr. It said, “Adam was a positive, happy young man who always made people laugh and smile. He was the oldest sibling and a loving son, brother, and friend.”