Joyanna Harris Killed, Joy Collins Arrested After Train Strikes Child on Belmont Avenue in Fresno

Joyanna Harris Dead, Joy Collins Arrested in Pedestrian Crash on Belmont Avenue at North Diana Street

 
FRESNO, CA (December 19, 2018) – An 8-year-old girl was fatally struck by a freight train on Belmont Avenue at North Diana Street Monday evening.
 
The tragic incident unfolded around 6 p.m. when Fresno Police responded to the intersection in central Fresno.
 
News reports say that several children were playing near the train tracks that evening. Joy Collins, the 44-year-old mother of a 9-year-old boy and 8-year-old Joyanna Harris was urging her children to cross the tracks so they could catch a bus on the other side.
 
According to Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer, Harris was reluctant to cross the train tracks but did so anyway after witnesses heard Collins yell at her children to hurry up or they would not catch their bus. As the 8-year-old tried crossing under the train, the BNSF train began to move, trapping Harris underneath.
 
The girl was dragged for about a hundred yards before she was killed. It appeared the conductor had not been aware of the crash until moments later.
 
Collins was subsequently arrested on child neglect charges, police said Tuesday. Per reports, she had been contacted by the Department of Child Protective Services before.
 
Although there are no trespassing warning signs located on the track, the community is hoping the State Public Utilities Commission plans to place barriers where they deem necessary.

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With deepest sympathies, our law firm would like to send our condolences to the friends and family of Joyanna Harris.

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If a tragic accident caused by a reckless party caused your family grief and pain, turn to the attorneys at the Sweet Law Group to file your personal injury or wrongful death case. Non-economic and economic damages may stem from a devastating incident. From high medical bills to loss of benefits, you may find yourself immersed in trouble and needing help. When seeking a tried-and-trusted personal injury law firm with more than four decades of experience, The Sweet Law Group merits your attention. Call (800) 203-3061 to schedule your free consultation.