St. Landry Parish Sheriff's deputies have arrested a California man and accused him in an attack that caused a woman to miscarry.
Dion Devon Harris II, 39, of Fresno, was booked with second-degree feticide and attempted second-degree murder. His bond has been set at $375,000.
Deputies were called to the Port Barre Fire District 2 Central Station on February 20. They found a woman there, being treated by EMTs.
The investigation revealed that the woman was riding in a rented van along with three children and two elderly people, and Harris. He allegedly was sitting behind the victim, who was in the front passenger seat. Witnesses said the victim and Harris were arguing about him bullying the children when he alleged became enraged and reached around to choke her. She tried to get free, and he then tried to strangle her with a seat belt.
The driver pulled the van over, and then Harris allegedly got out of the car and continued to choke the victim with the seat belt. She pressed the release button on the seat belt and tried to get out of the van, but Harris then allegedly placed both his hands around her neck, continuing to choke her. He allegedly pulled her to the ground by her hair, and choked her, while she lost consciousness.
The other passengers tried to restrain him, but he broke free, and one of the passengers laid on top of the victim to try to shield her from Harris, deputies say.
Another vehicle stopped, and that's when Harris started walking away, deputies say. The person who stopped took them to the fire station where the victim got some first aid; she was then transported to a local hospital.
The victim was very disoriented and deputies had difficulty trying to speak to her but hospital personnel said she had been about nine weeks pregnant and miscarried the fetus because of the violent attack.
Deputies obtained a warrant for Harris' arrest and booked him on February 23.
