BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- A plea deal has been reached in the case of a Visalia woman whose young son died inside a hot car in southwest Bakersfield. Maya Hernandez, 20, pleaded no contest Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter. She was convicted in December 2025 on two counts of child cruelty, but the jury deadlocked o...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- The Bakersfield city council is moving closer to raising sewer rates. The council on Wednesday launched a process to hike rates by about $100 per year over the next five years. It's a renewal of a plan proposed last year to raise rates by some 300% which caused serious backlash. Under the prop...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- A Bakersfield man has been found guilty of beating a woman and holding a gun to her head. Jayden Toralba, 25, was convicted Wednesday of assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and domestic violence after assaulting his girlfriend in February 2024. Toralba held a semi-automatic weapo...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- Several students are facing criminal charges after posting a photo to social media of someone in possession of a gun at Centennial High School. The Kern High School District said Tuesday officials became aware of the post on Friday and are working with district police to determine appropriate ...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- Bakersfield police say several crooks cut into a wall to get inside a jewelry store at Valley Plaza Mall. BPD is investigating a burglary late Sunday night at Zales jewelry store, where thieves used an employee-only hallway leading to several businesses to cut a 3' by 3' hole in the wall to ge...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- The case against an elderly Bakersfield man accused of injuring several spectators at the Bakersfield Christmas parade has been declared a mistrial. Potential jurors were dismissed Tuesday morning after a medical issue with a defense attorney prevented the start of the trial against Alan Booth...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- A newborn baby was found dead near a dumpster at a south Bakersfield shopping center. Police responded at around 1:30 a.m. Monday to Plaza Vallarta near Panama Lane after workers at a nearby Wingstop restaurant called 911 to say they heard a baby crying behind the store. Officers found the bab...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- A woman is behind bars following the fatal stabbing of her partner in southwest Bakersfield. Police responded Sunday afternoon to the 4100 block of Thatch Avenue to find a man unresponsive. Officers performed CPR on the man, but he was pronounced dead after EMTs arrived. Cecille Diaz, 32, was ...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- A man who led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through southwest Bakersfield has learned his fate. Julio Arroyo, 31, was sentenced Monday to nine years and four months in prison after being found guilty in December of evading a peace officer, driving a stolen vehicle, receiving stolen pro...

BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) -- A man is dead following a fire at a commercial building in downtown Bakersfield. Crews responded around 2:50 a.m. Monday to the structure at 22nd and F Streets to find the man dead. The Bakersfield Fire Department is investigating the cause of the blaze, and the Kern County Coroner will releas...