‘He didn’t have time to run’: Family reacts to footage of police cruiser fatally striking their son

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — New footage from the Bakersfield Police Department provides a few more details about how officers struck and killed a pedestrian on South Union Avenue, but the family feels more could have been done by the officers to prevent his death.

According to BPD, it started on June 17 after a report of an auto theft in progress near 19th Street, at about 3:30 am.

“Possible subject actively stealing vehicles,” said a dispatcher.

As Officers Julian Garcia and Zachary Ward responded to the call, the driver, Officer Garcia, struck and killed 27-year-old Brandon Gabriel Flores, while Flores was walking outside of the crosswalk. Flores was killed the day after Father’s Day, which he spent with his three-year-old daughter he leaves behind.

It was also the last time he spoke to his father, Humberto Solano.

“He said ‘I love you’ and I said I love you. That’s the last time I talked to him,” said Solano.

Solano hadn’t seen the BPD footage until speaking with 17 News.

“He didn’t have time to run or move,” said Solano.

Solano said Flores was out getting food and from the footage, he can see that his son did not see the car.

“Life is not fair, to take my son like that,” said Solano. “I still can’t believe this happened.”

In the footage, the cruiser has its headlights on, but not its lights and sirens on.

Solano believes had the officers had the lights and sirens on, he could still have his son.

“Anybody who hears that noise and sees those blinding lights coming out in front of you, you get out of the way,” said Solano. “I want my son back, and who’s going to give me my son back.”

The family filed a claim against the city seeking more than $5 million for Officer Garcia driving at excessive speed and without lights and sirens on when he killed Flores.

We reached out to BPD for more questions, such as how fast the officers were driving and why both officers have returned to duty in some capacity, even though the investigation is still ongoing.

The department directed 17 News to the City Attorney’s office. We reached out to the City Attorney’s office for comment and received no response ahead of news time.

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