At least three people died and three others were injured on a Tuesday evening when an SUV crashed into a food stand near a Metro bus stop in North Hollywood. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that the collision occurred at approximately 5:55 p.m. at the intersection of Lankershim and Chandler boulevards.
The incident took place at a sidewalk location where a food stand was operating under a canopy. Witnesses identified the three individuals who died as street vendors. Emergency responders extricated one person from the wreckage, and two of the three injured survivors were transported to a hospital in critical condition.
The driver of the vehicle, described by the Los Angeles Police Department as a man in his 60s, was hospitalized in serious condition. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell stated that investigators are reviewing security camera footage from the nearby Metro station to determine the cause of the crash. While some witnesses suggested a second vehicle may have been involved, police stated they currently believe only the white SUV was involved.
The investigation involves drug recognition experts from the LAPD who are evaluating whether the driver was under the influence at the time of the collision. The LAPD has characterized the ongoing inquiry as a "prolonged but very deliberate investigation." The next steps involve the analysis of the driver and the formal identification of the victims by the coroner's office. Police have not yet released a timeline for when the investigation will be completed or when the names of the deceased will be made public.