3 Killed as Driver Plows Into North Hollywood Food Stand
Three people were killed and two women were critically injured Tuesday evening when a vehicle crashed into a food stand near a busy Metro station in North Hollywood during rush hour.The driver, a 61-year-old Valley Village man, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder.
The crash happened around 5:55 p.m. on Nov. 10 near the corner of Lankershim and Chandler boulevards, a stretch that fills with commuters, pedestrians and street vendors at that hour. Police said the driver was heading south on Lankershim in a white Toyota Sienna at an unsafe speed when the minivan veered to the right, ran off the road and hit a traffic light before coming to rest on the sidewalk beneath a vendor's tent near a Metro bus stop and station entrance.
Los Angeles police identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko. Officers pulled him from the vehicle after the crash. He was able to talk but appeared to be in shock, and he was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. On Wednesday, an LAPD spokesperson confirmed he had been booked on three counts of murder. Police said he was driving at twice the legal limit. He remains in custody on $6.03 million bail.
Family members have identified two of the women killed as Teodora "Doris" Villalobos, 57, and Maria Peck, 73. Villalobos had sold food near Lankershim and Chandler for more than 20 years, and Peck sold sweets and sodas there for about eight years. The third woman has not been identified.
Officials have not determined what caused the crash or whether it was intentional. Investigators are also looking at whether the driver may have been trying to avoid another car that was being driven legally before the collision. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said detectives will go through video of the crash frame by frame and described what lies ahead as "a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation."
A man working at a nearby burger stand said he heard a loud boom and turned to see people on the ground among spilled food and cups. He found a badly injured woman near the bike racks and stayed with her, telling her help was on the way. He also saw two other victims nearby, including a woman lying motionless on the stairs leading down to the station.
One station entrance was closed Tuesday night, but bus and subway service kept running, according to LA Metro.
The investigation into the North Hollywood crash is ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet filed formal charges or set an arraignment date. If you or someone you love was hurt by an impaired or reckless driver, YourAccident.com can help you understand your rights and next steps.
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