The fatal collision happened in a parking area along Canoas Garden Avenue.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose police are investigating after an 18-month-old boy was struck and killed Tuesday by a minivan operating as a privately owned taxi in an apartment complex parking area.
The child, Olivier Carmelo Sgarlata, was hit about 4:23 p.m. along the 2100 block of Canoas Garden Avenue, police said. The complex is west of Almaden Expressway and north of Curtner Avenue. Officers said the boy was walking in the parking area when the minivan struck him.
Emergency responders took Olivier to a local hospital, where he died. Witnesses said CPR was attempted at the scene before the ambulance left. The driver stayed after the crash and cooperated with investigators, police said. Investigators said they did not believe alcohol or drugs played a role.
San Jose police spokesperson Stacie Shih said the case remains under review as detectives examine what happened in the moments before the collision. She said many questions remain. “Someone just lost a loved one,” Shih said. “We do too.”
The crash added to a deadly year on San Jose roads. Police said it was the city’s 16th traffic death and seventh pedestrian death of 2026. Officials also said it was the second child traffic fatality in the city this year, compared with no child traffic deaths at the same point in 2025.
Residents near the complex described the scene as wrenching. One neighbor, Carlos Mendoza, said cars sometimes move too fast through the area. “When we heard it was a child, we just felt scared,” Mendoza said.
No charges had been announced by Friday. Police said the next steps include interviews, review of physical evidence and completion of the traffic investigation report.
Author note: Last updated April 24, 2026.