BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — At the corner of California Avenue and S Street, where earlier this week a car crashed into this tortilla shop. The manager says this is the second time an accident has happened here. They’re now worried about the safety of their employees.
On Monday night at 9:42 p.m., a car plowed through the front windows of Graciana’s Tortilla Factory, causing significant damage to the front area of the business. In this video, you’ll see the moment it happened.
According to the manager, a coworker saw on a live stream that their workplace had been hit by a car.
She says this isn’t the first time an accident has happened outside the factory. Just last month, another car flipped in front of the shop, leaving her concerned for her employees’ safety.
Ilma Lira the manager, at Graciana Tortilla Factory says “It’s really, really scary for us. You never know what can happen. My employees are here doing their job, and what if one of those days they get involved in an accident — a bloody accident? I don’t know, I don’t want to think about that.”
Lira adds part of the problem, along with distracted and impaired driving, is high speeds, with people racing down the road.
She’s now asking the city for help. “Maybe they can help us with a stop sign or the yellow bumps that slow down the speed of the cars.” Lira said.
I reached out to Ward Two City Councilman Andrae Gonzales to see what can be done about these speeds. He pointed to the city’s traffic calming program, launched in 2020, aimed at making roads safer.
Residents can request speed bumps, roundabouts, “slow down” signs, more police enforcement, and other safety measures — all without paying out of pocket.
“It seems like there’s opportunity to really slow down the traffic. If you take a look at some of these collectors, especially in the southwest, there are long stretches between intersections, so it gives people a long time to just pick up speed — and it gets wild. This is similar, which is a pretty lengthy distance.” Gonzales said.
Madi: “But it is possible, right?”
Gonzales: “It is possible.”
But help can’t come soon enough for employees at the tortilla shop. For now, they just pray someone doesn’t come barreling through their walls next time. “It’s about the safety of my employees working here. Maybe they don’t think about the high speeds, but I’m thinking of them always.” Lira said.
Gonzales says he’s ready to work with Graciana’s to find a solution and help keep the community safe, adding that drivers need to slow down and stay alert before another serious crash happens.
The manager tells me they just want something done before someone gets hurt.
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