BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A 68-year-old Navy veteran, Robert “Jerry” Hiller, died on Christmas Eve after his vehicle was swept away in a flood in Lancaster, according to a GoFundMe page and CBS News. The page described his passing as “a heartbreaking shock to all who loved him.”
CBS News reported that around 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 24, 2025, Hiller’s body was found inside a partially submerged vehicle near 58th Street East and Avenue H-10 amid recent storms, according to the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
A department helicopter had spotted the “blue sedan that was partially submerged following yesterday’s flooding.” The vehicle was not visible from the road due to the terrain and “significant” flooding, CBS News reported.
Hiller is survived by his mother, Margaret; sister, Allie; brother, Bill; and nieces, Tracy and Mindy, who are working to honor his final wishes.
He will be laid to rest at Bakersfield National Cemetery in Arvin. Donations to support the family can be made via his GoFundMe page.
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