BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Well-known Bakersfield businessman Jose Arredondo has passed away in Mexico.

According to John Pitre, the Chief Operations Officer of Motor City Buick GMC and Motor City Lexus of Bakersfield, the Greater Bakersfield New Car Dealers members received an email Tuesday, informing them of Arredondo's passing. No other details were available in the email, but Pitre did confirm that Arredondo was in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The Family Motors Acura website, one of the businesses Arredondo owns as part of the Family Motors Auto Group, says that he "was born in a village called Cualcoman, in the Mexican state of Michoacan" and was the fourth of 11 children. After starting out washing cars in 1977, Arredondo went on to become salesman. He would later purchase various properties including an auto-body shop and a convenience store in Los Angeles. In 1993 he purchased the business that would become Family Motors in the Bakersfield Auto Mall.

Pitre said he's known Arredondo since 1985 when they worked together in Los Angeles with Toyota. He said he was very proud of what Arredondo had accomplished and knows many people in the area consider him an inspiration. Pitre ended by saying Arredondo will be missed.

This is a developing story. We will provide more details as they become available.