Honda Accord collided with two vehicles near 7th Standard Road in Bakersfield
August 16, 2026 | Bakersfield, CA
A mother and her two daughters from Bakersfield died in a wrong-way crash early Sunday on State Route 99 in Kern County.
anessa Sue Wetmore, 41, Kloie Wetmore, 16, and Kylie Wetmore, 20, were killed when their Honda Accord collided with two vehicles on State Route 99 near 7th Standard Road.
What happened in the crash?
- Date and time: Just before 1 a.m. on Aug. 16
- Location: State Route 99 near 7th Standard Road, Bakersfield
- Vehicles involved: Honda Accord, BMW, Chevrolet Colorado pickup
- Fatalities: Kylie Wetmore, 20; Vanessa Sue Wetmore, 41; Kloie Wetmore, 16
- Injuries: BMW occupants suffered major injuries; pickup truck occupants had minor injuries
Authorities have not yet determined which vehicle traveled the wrong way. The family was returning from a concert in Fresno honoring Kloie’s upcoming 17th birthday.
A GoFundMe page has been created to honor the lives of Vanessa, Kloie and Kylie and can be found here.
Why do these accidents happen?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, roughly 400 people die each year in wrong-way collisions. Common factors include driver error, impaired driving, distraction and roadway design issues.
Wrong-Way Accident Data
Source |
Annual Fatalities |
Primary Causes |
Notes |
|---|
Federal Highway Administration |
~400 |
Driver error, impairment, distraction |
Nationwide statistics |
Legal Insights
In cases such as this, prompt independent investigation helps preserve critical evidence.
“In addition to a police report, an attorney will carefully review what may have contributed to the crash. Your lawyer has the resources to hire expert witnesses, conduct driver background checks, locate witnesses to the crash and review applicable insurance coverage. Serving as an advocate, an attorney can help compassionately guide a family during this difficult time, while protecting their legal rights.”
— Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal
“The stress and sorrow can be extremely overwhelming after losing a loved one in an accident. We understand just what families are forced to go through, and having their rights protected is vital.”
— Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal
Key takeaways
- Families may pursue wrongful death claims for loss of companionship, funeral costs and emotional distress
- Early legal review can protect rights while the official investigation proceeds
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If you or a family member has been affected by a similar incident, national legal analyst Candice Bond is available for a free consultation. Use the contact information provided on this page.
(Candice Bond, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Bond Legal. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).
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