A South Sacramento Family Remembers Janessa Milagro Mazur Diaz After Cemetery Crash
A family gathering to honor Día de los Muertos at a South Sacramento cemetery turned into a sudden tragedy when a vehicle struck and killed a one-year-old girl, leaving her father hospitalized in intensive care with severe fractures. The collision occurred on Sunday afternoon inside St. Mary’s Cemetery on 21st Avenue and 65th Street Expressway. Just days before the incident, the family had gathered to celebrate the child’s first birthday on Friday, marking a milestone that now contrasts sharply with the grief of her sudden loss.
The young victim was identified as Janessa Milagro Mazur Diaz. Her mother, Jackline Patino Diaz, shared the heavy reality of the aftermath, noting that the family had been in high spirits during the birthday celebration just prior to the weekend tragedy. While the mother escaped physical harm, the child’s father was struck alongside his daughter. He remains in the ICU suffering from multiple severe injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured nose, and a fractured skull.
Mother Reveals Fatal Crash Truth to Hospitalized Father
In an account reported, Jackline Patino Diaz described the painful moment she had to answer his first question upon regaining consciousness. When he asked where his baby was, she had to tell him that Janessa was gone.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A 1-year-old girl is dead and a man is in the hospital after they were struck by a vehicle in a Sacramento cemetery, according to police.https://t.co/cEZsz7oLYb
Sacramento Police Department records and jail logs provide the official framework of the response to the incident. Authorities responded to the crash at the St. Mary’s Cemetery on 21st Avenue around 4:45 p.m. Sunday. Both victims were transported to a hospital, where the child succumbed to her injuries. The father sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police stated.
Charges Faced by Suspect Miguel Guzman
Investigators arrested 50-year-old Miguel Guzman of Sacramento in connection with the crash following an initial review of the scene. According to jail logs, Guzman was booked into the Sacramento Main Jail and faces a series of serious charges. His upcoming court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
The legal charges filed against Guzman reflect the severe nature of the incident and include:
- Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated
- DUI causing injury
- Hit-and-run
- Child endangerment
Jail logs indicate that Guzman’s bail has been set at $470,000 as the case moves toward its preliminary court proceedings this week.
More on Cemetery
DUI arrest after toddler killed at Sacramento cemetery during Day of the Dead event https://t.co/2BjfItXWyu
A 1-year-old girl died after a vehicle struck two pedestrians inside Saint Mary's Cemetery, Sacramento police say. SacPD PIO, Officer Allison Smith, talks with PSN about the incident. ⤵️ https://t.co/FEPeZvIWwv
A juvenile was left with "life-threatening injuries" after a collision with a vehicle near a Sacramento cemetery Sunday afternoon, police said. A man was also sent to the hospital following the crash. Full story here: https://t.co/KJ2MF4CyZX pic.twitter.com/LiIz823HZ7
