Bakersfield Police are still investigation the accidental death of a homeless man at a Northwest McDonald's. 23ABC's Bayne Froney has the latest on this investigation.
At around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday night Bakersfield Police dispatch received a 9-1-1 call about a man who had been hit by a car at the McDonald's drive-thru at the intersection of Coffee and Hageman roads. He was pronounced dead at the scene
"They were able to extricate the adult male from underneath the vehicle, medical aid responded and declared that subject deceased at the scene," explained Sgt Robert Pair of the Bakersfield Police Department.
According to Sgt Pair, the driver of the car who hit the man is cooperating with the investigation. We're told the driver did not have alcohol or drugs on them or in their system at the time of the incident.
A woman who lives near the McDonald's said she visited the fast-food chain earlier that night and had seen the man lying in the drive-thru. She said she spoke with him to make sure he was okay or if he needed help
"He said 'no sweetheart there is nothing you can do. I am just upset.' The person at the window had my food ready and I was like okay. I felt so bad. I just left him there and I had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen but McDonald's, they told me the manager was taking care of it," said Allison Willard.
According to Sgt. Pair about 15 minutes before the accident, 9-1-1 operators had received a call regarding a man who wouldn't leave the premise of that same McDonald's.
When 23ABC asked Sgt. Pair about this call we were told at the time of the 9-1-1 request to the McDonald's was considered a low priority call due to the high amounts of calls they were receiving at the time. Shortly after the 9-1-1 call was made that a man had been hit in the drive-thru.
"Officers were dispatched at 10:26 p.m. and they arrived - once they got the information about an accident - within 2 minutes. Now whether that is even the same subject that was refusing to leave earlier, I don't have that information yet," said Sgt. Pair.
23ABC also reached out to McDonald's for a statement. They said: "The safety of our crew and guests is our top priority. We are saddened by the tragic event that took place in our drive-thru and will continue to work with local law enforcement as they investigate this matter. Our thoughts are with the victim's family at this time."
