At least three people are dead after an SUV crashed into a food stand near a North Hollywood bus stop in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
The collision occurred at around 5:55 p.m. local time near the Metro station at the corner of Lankershim and Chandler boulevards, according to the LA Fire Department.
Firefighters said three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while three others were taken to a nearby hospital, two of whom were in critical condition at the time. As of 11 p.m., one of the victims remained in stable condition, while the other was still critical.
Crews extricated one person from the wreckage, according to LAFD.
“I’m heartbroken for the families of everyone impacted,” Mayor Karen Bass wrote in a statement on X. “We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”
LA Police Department officers said the driver of the white SUV, a man in his 60s, was one of the three people taken to an area hospital. He was said to be in serious condition and was being analyzed by LAPD drug recognition experts to determine if he was under the influence at the time of the crash.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation, but LAPD Major Collision Investigation Team and Valley Traffic Division detectives said that the driver was attempting to avoid another car that was driving “legally and safely” before the crash. Police said they would continue looking for security camera footage from the Metro bus station and businesses in the surrounding area as their probe continued.
“It’ll be a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims that were struck here tonight.”
Aerial footage showed the white SUV stopped on the sidewalk underneath a canopy, where the food stand was set up. Witnesses told CBS LA the three deceased victims were street vendors in the area, one of whom worked there for more than 15 years.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
