A woman is dead following a crash early Friday morning.
According to the Bakersfield Police Department a pickup truck lost control and overturned in the 12400 block of Noriega Road, near Allen and Old Farm roads just after midnight.
A woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The Kern County Coroner identified her as 19-year-old Ktrystul Hazelwood, of Bakersfield.
The 18-year-old driver of the pickup suffered only minor injuries. Bakersfield Police say the teen was driving under the influence.
He was later identified by police as Richard Prosser, 18.
23ABC spoke with friends of Prosser and his family and said they are grieving this tragedy, and how it will affect the rest of the young man's life.
Prosser just graduated from Centennial High School according to friends and his Facebook page.
Young people have taken to social media, very upset with Prosser and urging anyone who drinks to not get behind the wheel.
With summer here, and more teens out of school, Bakersfield Police urge parents to talk with their children about the legal drinking age and how to be safe around alcohol.
DRUNK DRIVING STATISTICS:
- EVERY TWO MINUTES, A PERSON IS INJURED IN A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH.
- ON AVERAGE, TWO IN THREE PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH IN THEIR LIFETIME.Click to Tweet
- IN 2013, 28.7 MILLION PEOPLE ADMITTED TO DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL - THAT’S MORE THAN THE POPULATION OF TEXAS.Click to Tweet
- THE RATE OF DRUNK DRIVING IS HIGHEST AMONG 26 TO 29 YEAR OLDS (20.7 PERCENT).
- EVERY DAY IN AMERICA, ANOTHER 27 PEOPLE DIE AS A RESULT OF DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES.
The area of Noriega between Allen and Old Farm has since reopened.
