Michelle Rodrigue Killed in Bakersfield DUI Collision on Highway 58 near General Beale Road; Ayana Council Arrested
Bakersfield, California (June 23, 2022) – Michelle Rodrigue, 52, of Las Vegas, has been identified as the woman who was killed in a DUI crash in Bakersfield on Friday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The incident took place just before 8:17 p.m. on June 17, on Highway 58 west of General Beale Road.
Ayana Council, 27, of San Mateo, was driving a Nissan Sentra westbound on Highway 58 when she made an unsafe turn.
The Nissan left the roadway, then it drifted across the center median into the eastbound side, where it collided with the driver's side of a Chevy Silverado driven by Rodrigue.
The impact caused the Chevy to roll multiple times.
Rodrigue was pronounced dead at the accident scene.
Council was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.
She was also arrested on suspicion of murder, felony DUI, and gross vehicular manslaughter.
The CHP is conducting an investigation into the incident.
ORIGINAL STORY
Bakersfield, California (June 17, 2022) – At least one person is dead following a head-on crash on Highway 58 in Bakersfield Friday night, according to CHP's Traffic Incident Information Page.
The deadly crash happened at about 8:15 p.m. on the eastbound Highway 58, just west of General Beale Road.
According to the CHP, at least two vehicles were involved in the crash, with one of them overturning.
First responders found at least one person trapped inside the overturned vehicle. The trapped party was not responsive, as per the CHP.
CHP officials said at least one person died in the crash.
No additional details were provided.
The incident is under investigation.
Crash Fatalities in California Went Up in 2021, Early Federal Estimates Show
Newly released estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that fatalities caused by traffic crashes on U.S. freeways reached a 16-year high in 2021.
The crash deaths also increased in almost every state, including California, according to NHTSA.
According to the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2021 report released by NHTSA, about 42,915 people were killed in traffic collisions in 2021 in the U.S. This shows a 10.5% increase from the 38,828 fatalities reported in 2020.
NHTSA says the projection is the highest number of traffic deaths since 2005 as well as the largest percentage rise in the history of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
In California, 4,258 people died in traffic collisions in 2021 – a 10.7 increase from 2020's 3,847, as per the NHTSA report titled – “Crash Stats: Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2021.”
According to the traffic deaths estimates, in the two-state region that includes Arizona and California, crash fatalities in 2021 are projected to go up by 10% over the previous year.