According to the Kern Valley Sun, Jim and Debbie Harmon, of Bakersfield, were killed Saturday, September 19, in a violent head-on collision on Sierra Way just south of Limestone Drive in Kernville.
Harmon, 58, and his wife, 57, were riding their 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle at about 9:45 a.m., when Hazel Halloran, 74, was headed north on Sierra Way at approximately 45-50 mph. According to the CHP report, Halloran’s 2003 Buick drifted off the right edge of the roadway. While trying to reposition the car she overcorrected, lost control and hit the Harmon’s head-on. They were thrown from the motorcycle and each sustained major injuries. It was said that the Harmon’s were on their way to a weekend conference to promote motorcycle safety.
Paramedics and firefighters worked to tend to the Harmon’s injuries and tried to get them to awaiting hospitals. Jim Harmon went into cardiac arrest on the way to a landing zone where a medevac helicopter was waiting. The ambulance was diverted to Kern Valley Hospital where efforts to revive him were unsuccessful and the Coroner reported that he died at 11:38 a.m. Debbie Harmon also died at 11:30 a.m. after being airlifted to Kern Medical Center. Halloran sustained minor injuries.
