UPDATE (Nov. 7 4:06 p.m.) -- The man dead after Friday's accident has been identified as 72-year-old Robert Kalei Antone. The cause of death was ischemic heart disease.

 

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On November 4th, 2016 at 9:28 PM a Bakersfield Police Officer was driving his marked Bakersfield Police Department patrol vehicle southbound on Buena Vista Road south of Ming Avenue. The officer observed a vehicle stopped facing northbound in the southbound lane of travel. The officer stopped his patrol vehicle and activated his emergency lights. The driver of the vehicle accelerated forward and struck the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle with the driver’s side of his vehicle. The driver continued to drive northbound in the southbound lanes and drove over the sidewalk striking a block wall.

 

Officers responded to the vehicle where the found the driver unresponsive possibly due to a medical condition. Officers gained entry into the vehicle and immediately rendered medical aid to the driver. The driver was transported to a local area hospital where he was subsequently pronounced deceased. The driver’s identity will be released by the Kern County Coroner’s Office at a later time. Drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a factor.

 

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.