Samantha Valdez Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash on Highway 99 [Delano, CA]

Samantha Valdez Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash on Highway 99 [Delano, CA]

Samantha Valdez, Another Hurt in Fatal Hit-and-Run Accident

 
DELANO, CA (June 1, 2020) – 17-year-old Samantha Valdez and another person sustained injuries in a fatal hit-and-run crash on Friday, May 29.
 
Around 3:10 p.m. Friday, a white 1999 Ford pickup moved at a high rate of speed on Highway 99 south, north of Delano. It is believed the driver may have been intoxicated when the Ford crashed into the rear of a sedan.
 
The driver of the sedan was a teenage girl, officials later identified as Valdez. The force of the impact sent the sedan into a third car driven by a 66-year-old Pixley woman. She sustained minor injuries.
 
Seconds after the crash, Valdez’s car burst into flames, Officer Steve Beal stated.
 
Good Samaritans pulled Valdez from the burning wreckage. They airlifted her to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield.
 
Valdez’s passenger, whose identity was not released, died in the collision, Beal stated. Officers believe the victim was male.
 
The driver of the Ford left the area on foot. Investigators believe the driver is Anthony Ruben Cuevas. Officials are still searching for him for questioning about the incident.
 
Cuevas has at least one prior DUI conviction, records stated. He is known to be in the Earlimart, Delano, and Tulare areas, CHP officers said.
 
If any person has any information about the whereabouts of Cuevas, please call the Visalia Area CHP Office at 734-6767 or 262-0400.

Our team would like to express our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased.

The sudden loss of a loved one in a hit-and-run crash is a difficult time for any family. Our wrongful death attorneys at Sweet James can help seek justice for your loss. We will fight hard to hold the responsible party accountable. Schedule a free consultation at (800) 975-3435. Click here to request a police report.