Bakersfield, CA – According to KBAK, on February 9, 2024, a two-vehicle collision in the 1900 block of Planz Road after a nearby car meet on Hughes and White Lanes resulted in the deaths of two women now identified as Hortencia Garcia de Haro and Vanessa Lasarit.
Haro was driving a white sedan with Lasarit and a second yet-unnamed passenger when they were struck by a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV driven by 25-year-old Arturo Munoz of Bakersfield, a repeat DUI offender who was revealed to have been again intoxicated during the crash.
Authorities pronounced Haro dead at the scene. She leaves behind two daughters. Lasarit and the other sedan passenger received transportation to a nearby hospital. Regardless of the medical attention she received, Lasarit succumbed to her injuries, leaving behind a 15-year-old son.
Munoz was arrested and booked at Kern County Jail. He faces multiple charges related to the crash, including homicide.
Wrongful Death Claims
While no amount of money can bring back those who lose their lives in a vehicular fatality, the emotional burden of their loss is often accompanied by a financial burden that falls on their surviving family members.
A wrongful death claim filed with the insurance provider of an at-fault driver can provide compensation to help cover medical expenses, burial costs, and even the loss of support for dependents of the deceased.
However, because insurance companies carry the incentive to reduce the payout for any claim they cannot deny, the services of a skilled personal injury attorney can prove crucial in securing justice for the deceased.
