Three women were killed and two others were left critically injured after a minivan slammed into pedestrians and street vendors outside a busy Metro station in North Hollywood, California. The driver, identified as 61-year-old Ihor Demianenko, has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder.
The deadly crash happened shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, near the intersection of North Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley. The area was busy with commuters, pedestrians and food vendors when the vehicle suddenly left the roadway and struck people gathered along the sidewalk.
According to Los Angeles police, Demianenko was driving a white Toyota Sienna at an unsafe speed when it veered to the right and plowed into the group. The minivan struck several pedestrians and food vendors before crashing into a light pole. It eventually came to a stop beneath a food vendor’s tent.
Three women, between the ages of 40 and 69, died in the crash. Two other women, both in their 50s, suffered critical injuries and were rushed to the hospital. Authorities had not released the names of the women who died as of Wednesday, November 11, leaving their families to deal with the devastating news.
The impact was so severe that emergency crews had to free Demianenko from the wreckage. Police said he was conscious and able to speak, although he appeared to be in shock. He was taken to a hospital for treatment before being booked early Wednesday. His bail was set at approximately $6 million.
For people who witnessed the crash, the scene was difficult to forget. Luis Luna-Guzman, who was working at a nearby burger stand, said he heard a loud crash before seeing people lying across the ground. Food and cups were scattered around as bystanders rushed to help those who had been hit.
Luna-Guzman recalled finding an injured woman near some bicycle racks. Her face, arms and legs were covered in blood. She was moaning in pain with her eyes closed. He told her not to move and assured her that help was coming.
He also saw another woman lying dead nearby and a second woman motionless on the stairs leading to the Metro station. The force of the collision had thrown victims in different directions, according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s account.
Investigators are still working to establish what caused the minivan to leave the road. Police plan to examine surveillance recordings and other available video footage frame by frame to piece together the moments leading up to the collision.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell described the investigation as one that would require time and careful examination. Authorities have not publicly established why the vehicle veered onto the sidewalk or whether any other circumstances contributed to the crash.
Demianenko faces serious allegations, but the case remains under investigation. California law allows prosecutors to pursue murder charges in certain fatal DUI cases, depending on the circumstances and available evidence. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. It was not immediately known whether he had retained an attorney.
The crash has left three women dead, two others critically injured and several witnesses struggling to process what happened. What began as an ordinary Tuesday evening near a busy transit station ended with emergency crews rushing to save lives and investigators trying to establish exactly how five women were struck by the same vehicle.
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