A 61-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of murder and driving under the influence after his minivan plowed onto a crowded sidewalk outside the North Hollywood Metro station, killing three women and critically injuring two others during the evening commute.
Crash at Lankershim and Chandler Boulevards
The deadly collision occurred at approximately 5:55 p.m. on Nov. 10 in the 5300 block of North Lankershim Boulevard, near Chandler Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Police identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko of the Valley Village neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Investigators said that Demianenko was driving a white Toyota Sienna southbound at an unsafe speed, veered to the right, and jumped protective barriers and curbs designed to shield pedestrians and street vendors from traffic.
BREAKING: Three people are dead and at least three others are critically injured after a car plowed into pedestrians near a Metro station and food stand in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. The crash happened around 5:55 p.m. Tuesday near Lankershim and Chandler boulevards. Three…
The vehicle came to a rest beneath a food vendor’s blue canopy tent, leaving a large debris field scattered across the sidewalk. Paramedics pronounced three female victims dead at the scene. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that all three deceased women were Hispanic, with their ages ranging between 40 and 69 years old. Two other women in their 50s were transported to local hospitals in critical condition.
Witnesses and First Responders Describe the Scene
Gian Barbarona narrowly avoided being struck by the vehicle, telling Eyewitness News that he felt the wind of the van pass his shoulder. Other bystanders rushed to aid the injured as emergency crews and fire trucks flooded the transit hub. Luis Luna-Guzman, working at a nearby burger stand, discovered an injured woman lying near bike racks and urged her to stay still while waiting for medical help.
At least three people are dead after a car crashed into a food stand near a North Hollywood bus stop on Tuesday night. LAFD says three people were pronounced dead and three others were taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Breaking details in our bio. pic.twitter.com/hOCLnAhBKQ
Friends and colleagues identified several of the victims as longtime food vendors who served pastries, coffee, tamales, and hot dogs to commuters outside the B Line station. Noe Orozco, who regularly drove his colleagues to and from the transit stop, arrived at the cordoned-off intersection to find one of his fellow vendors dead on the sidewalk.
Rescuers extricated Demianenko from the driver’s seat of the Toyota Sienna, where an airbag had deployed. First responders reported that he was conscious and able to speak, though he appeared to be in shock. He was transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being booked into custody.
Murder and DUI Charges Filed Against Demianenko
Demianenko was booked early Wednesday on three counts of murder and felony driving under the influence. Jail records show his bail has been set at $6.03 million. Under California law, motorists operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol can face murder charges under certain circumstances, a standard established by a 1981 California Supreme Court ruling.
LAPD Capt. Warner Castillo noted at a news conference that experts were actively testing the driver at the hospital to determine his exact condition. “We don’t know if (the crash) was deliberate, but he’s at the hospital now, and that’s why we have our experts right now testing the driver of the vehicle,” Castillo said, according to reporting from NBC Los Angeles.
Ongoing Investigation and Surveillance Review
Police have closed portions of Lankershim and Chandler boulevards while traffic investigators examine the wreckage. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell announced that detectives are collecting all available security camera footage from the bus station and nearby businesses to reconstruct the tragedy frame by frame.
Our investigators have the video. They’ll run it down in slow motion and take it frame-by-frame to determine what happened.
Chief Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles Police Department
Elected officials offered statements of condolence following the crash. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass shared a message on X expressing sorrow for the families affected, while Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger thanked emergency responders and called for a thorough inquiry into the incident.
Today, an SUV drove onto a sidewalk near the North Hollywood Metro Station, striking a group of street vendors and pedestrians. Tragically, preliminary reports indicate that three people have lost their lives and others have been injured. First responders are on the scene, and…
“It'll be a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.
Earlier coverage: North Hollywood SUV Crash Kills 3, Injures 3 Near Metro Station
