On a Tuesday evening in North Hollywood, where a busy Metro stop draws people from every direction, an ordinary walk along Lankershim Boulevard was interrupted when a minivan veered off course and struck a food vendor and several pedestrians. Three women lost their lives, and two others remain in critical condition, a reminder of how quickly routine time in a shared city can turn to grief. The driver, a 61-year-old man police say was impaired, now faces murder charges, and the case moves forward as investigators work to understand exactly how the afternoon's ordinary rhythm came apart.
DUI Suspect Held on Three Murder Counts After Deadly North Hollywood Crash, Police Say
Three women were killed and two other women were critically injured when a minivan struck pedestrians and a food vendor.
A minivan veered right and kept moving until it was stuck inside a building
Mark
Three murder counts for a crash. Why murder rather than something lesser?
Mimi
The source says only that he was arrested on three counts of murder after police determined he was under the influence. It doesn't lay out the legal reasoning behind that charge.
Luke
Right, and that's worth holding onto. The impairment finding comes from police. It's an investigative determination, and nothing here says what the testing showed.
Mark
What do we know about the people hit?
Mimi
Three women died at the scene, all Hispanic and between 40 and 60. Two more, 50 to 55, are critical in hospital. A food vendor was among those struck, though the source doesn't say which of the women, if any, was the vendor.
Luke
Correct, and no names yet. Anything beyond ages and ethnicity would be guesswork.
Mark
The bail figure is oddly specific. $6.03 million.
Mimi
It's what police announced. The source gives no breakdown of how it was set.
Luke
And the chief called the investigation prolonged. So the cause of the swerve, the speed, and anything else about what happened remain open. Arrest isn't conviction.
Mark
So what should a reader watch for?
Mimi
The victims' names, the condition of the two hospitalized women, and what the Valley Traffic Division finds.
El Pulso
- A white minivan jumped the curb-side lane on Lankershim Boulevard near the Metro station and plowed into a food vendor and several pedestrians.
- Three women were pronounced dead at the scene while two others lie in critical condition at a hospital.
- The LAPD's Valley Traffic Division has opened a prolonged, deliberate investigation, with the families of the victims still being notified.
- The driver, 61-year-old Ihor Demianenko, has been booked on three murder counts with bail set at $6.03 million, and the probe continues to determine what led to the crash.
On a Tuesday evening in North Hollywood, where a busy Metro stop draws people from every direction, an ordinary walk along Lankershim Boulevard was interrupted when a minivan veered off course and struck a food vendor and several pedestrians. Three women lost their lives, and two others remain in critical condition, a reminder of how quickly routine time in a shared city can turn to grief. The driver, a 61-year-old man police say was impaired, now faces murder charges, and the case moves forward as investigators work to understand exactly how the afternoon's ordinary rhythm came apart.
At about 5:55 on Tuesday evening, a white Toyota Sienna minivan was heading south on Lankershim Boulevard, just south of Chandler Boulevard in North Hollywood. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the vehicle veered to the right at an unsafe speed and struck a food vendor and several pedestrians near the sidewalk before coming to rest inside a building.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics pronounced three women dead at the scene. Police described them as Hispanic women between 40 and 60 years old, and their names will remain private until their families are notified. Two other Hispanic women, between 50 and 55, were taken to a hospital in critical condition.
On Wednesday, police identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko, 61, of Valley Village. Investigators determined he was under the influence. He suffered minor injuries, was treated, and was then booked on three counts of murder, with bail set at $6.03 million. Mayor Karen Bass said she was heartbroken for the families and promised updates. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell described the investigation as prolonged but deliberate, and said the department's hearts go out to the families.
Anyone with information is asked to call 818-644-8114 or 818-644-8117. For now, the open questions are the names of the dead, the condition of the two injured women, and the full circumstances of the collision.
At about 5:55 on Tuesday evening, a white Toyota Sienna minivan was heading south on Lankershim Boulevard, just south of Chandler Boulevard in North Hollywood, near the Metro station. According to a Los Angeles Police Department news release, it veered to the right at an unsafe speed and struck a food vendor and several pedestrians near the sidewalk. It kept moving until it came to rest stuck inside a building.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics pronounced three women dead at the scene. Police described them as Hispanic women between 40 and 60 years old. Their names have not been released while the department notifies their families. Two other women, both Hispanic and between 50 and 55, were taken to a hospital in critical condition.
On Wednesday, the LAPD identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko, 61, of Valley Village. Investigators determined he was under the influence at the time of the crash. He suffered minor injuries and was treated at a hospital before his arrest. He was booked on three counts of murder, and his bail was set at $6.03 million, police said.
Mayor Karen Bass responded in a statement posted on X. She said she was heartbroken for the families of everyone affected and promised updates as more information becomes available.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell had spoken to reporters earlier about what lay ahead. He described the investigation as prolonged but very deliberate, aimed at determining what happened. He said the department's hearts go out to the families of the victims who were struck.
The LAPD's Valley Traffic Division is handling the case. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call 818-644-8114 or 818-644-8117.
The immediate questions are who the three women were, once their families have been told, and how the two critically injured women fare. The investigation is meant to establish the full circumstances of the collision, and the murder counts are the charges as of now.
Citas Notables
I'm heartbroken for the families of everyone impacted.— Mayor Karen Bass, on X
It'll be a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here.— LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell
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