Jacobo Yesca Paz, Raul Velasco Torres and Pablo Galindo Quiahua: three men from Taft died before dawn on a two-lane Kern County road
KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (August 28, 2026): Three men were killed and four other people injured in a head-on collision on Copus Road west of Old River Road in unincorporated Kern County at about 5:22 a.m. Friday, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP said a 2003 Nissan Sentra carrying five people was traveling eastbound when, for reasons under investigation, it went into the westbound lane and struck a westbound 2005 Honda Odyssey minivan, as reported by Bakersfield Now and the Taft Midway Driller. The Nissan’s driver and two male passengers died at the scene.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office identified the three men who died as Jacobo Yesca Paz, 43, who was driving; Raul Velasco Torres, 35; and Pablo Galindo Quiahua, 54, all of Taft, according to the Taft Midway Driller. Two other passengers in the Nissan, along with the Odyssey’s 60-year-old Bakersfield driver and a female passenger, suffered minor to moderate injuries, according to the CHP. Copus Road was closed in both directions while investigators documented the scene, per Bakersfield Now. The CHP has not announced a cause.
Liability for Kern County Head-On Collisions
California Vehicle Code § 21658 (lane maintenance) requires a driver to keep a vehicle within a single marked lane and to leave it only when safe, the central legal question when a car crosses a centerline on a rural two-lane road. California Vehicle Code § 22350 (basic speed law) governs speed for the darkness and road surface at 5:22 a.m. The CHP has not stated why the Nissan entered the westbound lane, and fatigue, an evasive maneuver, mechanical failure, roadway edge conditions and a medical event are possibilities an investigation must separate. California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 (wrongful death) gives each family standing, and Government Code § 835 (dangerous condition of public property) can apply if the design, striping, shoulder or lighting of Copus Road contributed.
- Why the Nissan crossed the centerline: The CHP says the reason is under investigation. Data recorders, mechanical inspection, autopsy findings and physical evidence on the roadway answer that question.
- Passenger claims: Two of the three men who died were passengers, and two more survived. Passengers are rarely at fault and generally hold claims regardless of which driver crossed the line.
- Rural roadway conditions: Copus Road is a two-lane road without a median. Shoulder drop-offs, striping, lighting and prior collision history there are standard subjects of a roadway review.
- Vehicle age and occupancy: A 2003 sedan carrying five people raises questions about restraints and occupant protection that an engineer can evaluate once the vehicle is preserved.
Each family may bring a wrongful death action seeking funeral and burial expenses, the financial support and household services the men would have provided, and the loss of their love, companionship, comfort, care, society and moral support. The families of the two passengers who died would ordinarily present claims against the Nissan driver’s estate and the liability policy covering that vehicle. If that policy is limited, which is common, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in each household can become the most important source of recovery.
Steps to Take After a Kern County Head-On Collision
According to the Federal Highway Administration, rural roads account for a disproportionate share of traffic deaths relative to the miles driven on them.
- Obtain the CHP traffic collision report: Request the report number now and the completed report later, with the scene diagram, measurements and reconstruction findings.
- Request the coroner’s records: The coroner identified all three men. Families can request the full reports, which document injuries and toxicology relevant to any claim.
- Preserve both vehicles: The Nissan Sentra and the Honda Odyssey hold evidence about speed, braking, steering, tire condition and restraint use. Send preservation letters before either is released for salvage.
- Photograph Copus Road promptly: Document striping, shoulder condition, signage, sight lines and any pavement edge drop-off west of Old River Road before maintenance work changes them.
- Locate every insurance policy: Review liability coverage on both vehicles and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage on the policies in each family’s household, including policies naming resident relatives.
In California, a wrongful death lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the date of death, and an injured survivor’s personal injury lawsuit within two years of the injury, under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If Kern County or another public entity may share responsibility for the condition of Copus Road, a government claim must be presented within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Contact an attorney promptly to protect your rights.
Investigating Kern County Head-On Collisions
We at Carrazco Law, A.P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the families of Jacobo Yesca Paz, Raul Velasco Torres and Pablo Galindo Quiahua. What does the physical evidence on Copus Road show about why the eastbound Nissan Sentra entered the westbound lane before dawn? Does the collision history of that stretch west of Old River Road show a pattern that a roadway agency knew about?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car, truck or pedestrian accident anywhere in California, our personal injury attorneys can help you understand your rights and legal options. Call us anytime at (800) 541-3244. Se Habla Español. Free consultation.
Published on September 16, 2026 by M.M., Carrazco Law, A.P.C. The incident described in this article occurred on August 28, 2026.
