BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Nearly a week after an east Bakersfield man was killed in a hit-and-run, his family says they are still searching for answers and frustrated with what they describe as a lack of communication with the California Highway Patrol.
Pablo Ortiz was killed shortly after midnight on Sept. 5 in a hit-and-run on Fairfax Road near Kern County Fire Station 42. The driver abandoned the car, a Toyota Camry, and has not been identified.
Ortiz’s family said he would have turned 36 next month. His sister, who declined to be interviewed on camera, said, “The person that did it was so inhumane of leaving his body behind and just leave his body behind like he was nothing. He is someone. His life mattered.”
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She said the family is upset because CHP did not contact anyone in the family until four days after Ortiz was killed. The family also said they were angered by a CHP press release that did not include Ortiz’s name but said he stepped into the road directly into the pathway of the Toyota Camry. Ortiz’s sister said, “It doesn’t make sense.”
CHP is looking for the driver of a Toyota Camry who, CHP says, ran off after hitting and killing a 35-year-old man early Saturday morning. PHOTO: KNN.NEWS
The family said Ortiz did not have peripheral vision and suffered brain injuries after multiple people beat him with metal bats when he was 18. They said Ortiz was known in the Niles area to walk a lot.
CHP did not confirm or deny that Ortiz was hit near Pictoria Avenue on Fairfax Road and dragged nearly a quarter of a mile to Paola Avenue near the fire station.
RELATED: CHP says Camry driver ran away from scene after hitting and killing Bakersfield man
A collage of Pablo Oritz is seen at a memorial near the scene of the hit-and-run. (KBAK/KBFX)
Officer Toro said he could not comment on the specifics of the case as the investigation continues. “The family is going through a very traumatic period at this time. There are a lot of emotions involved and they want answers. It’s’ not like we’re putting this case on the backburner. It’s a very serious case and they don’t happen often, as far as resulting in a fatality, so we do take it very serious,” Toro said.
Ortiz’s family said the community has helped with information that might lead to the identity of the driver. Ortiz’s brother, Alejandro Yepez, said, “With the help of everybody that knows Pablo and the community I mean we’ve gone together and we’ve kind of put things together on our end with just the resources we have and we do have good leads on who it could be, possibly who it is. But then again it’s just without the help of CHP there’s only so much that we can do and we can only get so far with that.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the CHP Bakersfield office at 661-396-6600.