BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A teenager is recovering in the hospital after a hit-and-run near the intersection of Planz Road and South Chester Avenue, and his family is calling for accountability.
Just after 10 p.m. on April 15, security video shows 16-year-old Isaiah Jeffers riding his electric bike west on Planz Road when a vehicle slammed into him. His family said the driver dragged Isaiah and his bike for several yards before taking off.
“To just even not consider that you hit someone and stop is the thing. Stopping would have been another thing, but you did not stop, so it’s kind of hard to understand why not,” Said Cornelius Jeffers, Isaiah's father.
Cornelius said his son, who just turned 17 in the hospital, is facing a long recovery. He suffered severe road rash, a fractured knee, and serious facial injuries requiring skin grafts and surgery. His family said he also has bruised lungs, and because he lives with sickle cell disease, recovery could be even more difficult.
"He can’t walk right now. He can’t see. It’s bad. So we’re just hoping he fights through it," Cornelius Jeffers said.
Security camera footage shows the driver speeding before hitting Isaiah and a friend riding nearby, then speeding away and leaving them in the road.
"His friend, Zelon, is another one that was with him, pulled him off the street, left him on the curb. Because without him, he would have probably still been in the street, and a car could have came and ran him over," Cornelius Jeffers said.
A week later, blood still marks the spot where Isaiah was left. His sister, Shaunnise Jeffers, said she has been searching for answers, collecting video, and reaching out to nearby businesses, but she feels like not enough is being done.
"I don’t know, I’m angry, I don’t know," Shaunnise Jeffers said.
The family said they just want whoever was behind the wheel to come forward.
"We’re just asking… if it was your family member, you would want the same thing. Just like everybody else, we want justice for my son, that’s all we’re asking," Cornelius Jeffers said.
Bakersfield Police confirm the case is still under investigation. They encourage those who may have details about the incident to contact their traffic division at 661-326-3896.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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