Three people died on Tuesday when a suspected drunken driver accelerated at an unsafe speed and crashed an SUV into pedestrians and food vendors on a North Hollywood sidewalk, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.
The crash happened just before 6 p.m. near Lankershim and Chandler boulevards, close to an entrance of the North Hollywood Metro station. Police said that 61-year-old Ihor Demianenko of Valley Village drove a white Toyota Sienna off the road.
Authorities identified two of the dead street vendors as 57-year-old Teodora Villalobos and 73-year-old Maria Peck. A third victim remains unidentified, and two other women in their 50s were hospitalized with injuries.
Demianenko was arrested at the scene for driving under the influence. L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office is waiting for the Los Angeles Police Department to complete its investigative report before filing formal charges.
“Once we get a report we’ll be able to have a lot more of the key facts of speed, alcohol… They’ll probably break it down into a minute-by-minute analysis of what actually happened,” Hochman told reporters.
When asked about the possibility of murder charges, Hochman said that potential charges depend strictly on the gathered evidence. He declined to comment further on charging decisions prior to reviewing the police findings.
Residents living near Demianenko described him as a quiet neighbor who moved to the area from Ukraine several years ago. Thomas Areas told ABC7 Los Angeles that he was shocked to learn about the crash and the arrest.
“[I] only really see him when he drives off to work, or he’s picking up his mail or coming back in the evening from his walks with his wife,” Areas told ABC7 Los Angeles.
A growing memorial has since formed outside the Metro station where the street vendors were struck. Community members continue leaving candles and flowers at the site.
Demianenko was arrested for driving under the influence. Prosecutors have not yet filed formal charges while awaiting the final police investigative report.
The vehicle veered off the road near Lankershim and Chandler boulevards, striking individuals on the sidewalk near an entrance to the North Hollywood Metro station.
Three street vendors died at the scene, including Teodora Villalobos and Maria Peck. Two other women in their 50s sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals.
Worth a look