A St. Petersburg woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a fatal Oldsmar crash that claimed the life of 6-year-old Janiya, nearly a week after the collision.
According to investigators, 27-year-old Jayanna Lajuane Clark was arrested on May 28, 2026, and charged with one count of vehicular homicide and two counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm.
The charges stem from a two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 4:41 p.m. on April 30, 2026, at the intersection of Tampa Road and East St. Petersburg Drive in Oldsmar.
As previously reported by IONTB, Janiya suffered catastrophic injuries in the crash after the Nissan Altima she was riding in collided with a Tesla Model Y. She was transported to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, where doctors determined she had suffered a complete severance between her C6 and C7 vertebrae, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator. After nearly a week in critical condition, life-sustaining care was withdrawn on May 6, and Janiya died surrounded by family.
According to the arrest affidavit, Clark was driving the Nissan eastbound on Tampa Road with Janiya seated in the rear passenger-side seat and a 4-year-old child seated in the rear driver’s side seat. Investigators say Clark entered the intersection against a red traffic signal and crashed into the Tesla.
Data recovered from Nissan’s event data recorder showed that the vehicle accelerated from approximately 71 mph 5 seconds before the crash to 80 mph about 1.5 seconds before impact. Investigators determined the vehicle was traveling about 51 mph at the moment of impact. The posted speed limit on Tampa Road is 45 mph.
The 4-year-old child also suffered injuries in the crash, including a bowel injury that required surgery.
Investigators further allege that Clark was prohibited from having unsupervised contact with the children under a court order. According to the affidavit, her visitation rights required the presence of a legal custodian, who was not present at the time of the crash. Detectives say Clark had picked up the children alone and was transporting them without the required supervision.
The affidavit alleges that Clark’s actions, including running a red light and operating the vehicle at excessive speeds, directly resulted in the fatal crash and the serious injuries suffered by the second child.
Clark was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on May 28. Court records show she is facing one count of vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, and two counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm, also second-degree felonies.
The investigation remains ongoing.