8-year-old girl killed by car in domestic violence incident, authorities say

FRESNO COUNTY – A young woman died after being hit by a car in Fresno on Friday night.

The accident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on Friant Road, north of Willow Avenue.

According to the California Highway Patrol, 8-year-old Maria Ortiz got out of her mother’s truck and started walking north on Friant Road when a car hit her and killed her.

A tragic accident that started with a scared girl and ended in one of the worst ways imaginable.

Investigators say Maria’s mother, the driver of the truck, was the victim of an incident of domestic violence by a man sitting in the passenger seat, identified as Juan Del Toro, 51.

This caused Maria’s mother to pull over to the shoulder of the road, where investigators say the fight with Del Toro continued, giving Maria a chance to jump out of the car and start walking down the road.

Weather conditions along Friant were not good, with heavy fog covering the area, making it difficult for Maria to realize that she was walking in the middle of a busy road.

Conditions on the road made it even more difficult for the 82-year-old driver of the approaching vehicle to see her, the impact was impossible to avoid.

Authorities say Maria’s mother was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The 82-year-old driver who hit the young woman stopped at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.