A fatal crash in Lamont early Monday has claimed the life of a 19-year-old driver. The incident happened around midnight on Panama Road, west of Fairfax Road, when a Chevrolet Malibu, carrying three occupants, lost control while traveling eastbound.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the vehicle veered off the road, struck a power pole, and overturned, coming to rest on the north shoulder. Emergency responders extricated the driver, who sustained major injuries and was transported to Kern Medical, but he succumbed to his injuries on March 11. An 18-year-old woman and a 3-year-old child riding in the vehicle were unharmed.
Authorities have not yet determined whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash, and the Kern County Coroner’s Office will release the driver’s identity pending family notification. The incident marks the latest in a series of serious roadway accidents in the region as investigators continue to probe the factors behind the Lamont car crash.
