Early Tuesday morning, September 22nd, Joseph Ciocatto, 48, fled the scene of an accident in Bakersfield, California. The Bakersfield Police Department said they tracked down the suspect, placed him under arrest, and booked him into Kern County Jail.
Ciocatto faces a charge of hit-and-run, causing injury, and driving without a license. He would need a car accident attorney’s service. The BPD said that the suspect’s vehicle had damage consistent with a collision, leading to the arrest.
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The crash report stated that officers arrived at the intersection of Monterey and Inyo streets after a call about a hit-and-run collision. They found a man lying on the roadway with significant injuries.
Medics took the victim to Kern Medical for treatment, and he is currently in critical condition. The BPD said that the preliminary investigation revealed that the injured man was riding an off-road motorcycle southbound on Inyo when he tried crossing Monterey.
At this point, Ciocatto’s eastbound vehicle struck him and fled the scene. Before apprehending the suspect, the police described his car as an older small pickup similar to a Datsun or an unknown color sedan.
The BPD did not release any additional information on the suspect’s arrest. They stated that the investigation into the occurrence is ongoing, and anyone with helpful information should contact the station on the listed line.
Under the California Vehicle Code, a hit-and-run is a severe offense punishable with jail time. Drivers can avoid the penalty by remaining at the crash site, rendering help, and making a report to the relevant authority.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
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