Madera County Authorities Make Arrest in Connection to Fatal Hit-and-Run
Above: Stock Image
Authorities in Madera County have announced the arrest of a primary suspect in a fatal hit-and-run in Oakhurst back in the summer of 2021.
According to a press release, California Highway Patrol detectives have identified 22-year-old Bryce Yandell of Coarsegold as the primary suspect in the hit-and-run death of Eben Hammond, 20, on July 7, 2021.
According to reports, Hammond was walking and skateboarding home with family members on Road 427 near Elliot Drive, when he was struck from behind by a dark-colored SUV, possibly a Jeep Cherokee or a Toyota 4Runner, just before midnight. Hammond succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The Oakhurst CHP Area Office, with the assistance of Hammond’s family, friends, the community, and Crime Stoppers, conducted an investigation into the incident, following various leads.
In March 2022, a Crime Stoppers tip led CHP Detectives to Bryce Yandell, who claimed ownership of a dark-colored Jeep Cherokee. Yandell reportedly stated that the vehicle had been parked in Mariposa since 2021 and had not been driven.
Upon examination, however, CHP discovered significant collision damage on the Jeep Cherokee, consistent with a vehicle-pedestrian collision. Yandell, after multiple interviews, reportedly continued to deny any involvement in Hammond’s death.
Through search warrants issued by the Madera County Superior Court, detectives and criminalists from the Department of Justice found physical evidence from the crime scene and circumstantial evidence from Yandell’s cellular data linking him to Hammond’s death.
CHP Detectives arrested Bryce Yandell without incident on June 6 at the CHP Oakhurst Area Office. It was unclear at press time whether he had retained an attorney.
