NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Three people are dead and at least three others were critically injured after a vehicle crashed into several pedestrians near a Metro station in North Hollywood Tuesday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The incident was reported at approximately 5:55 p.m. in the 5300 block of North Lankershim Boulevard, near Chandler Boulevard.
Fire officials said one vehicle struck multiple pedestrians near a Metro station, though the circumstances of the collision had not been confirmed.
Three patients were pronounced dead at the scene after being determined to be beyond medical help, according to the L.A. Fire Department. Paramedics transported at least three additional patients in critical condition to local hospitals.
The Los Angeles Police Department said the driver of the white SUV involved, described as a man in his 60s, was hospitalized in critical condition.
LAPD said the driver had to be extricated from the vehicle and was conscious but appeared to be in shock.
Witnesses told Eyewitness News that at least 2 of the deceased victims were food vendors that had operated outside that Metro station for years.
The driver was heading southbound at the time of the crash, according to LAPD.
Aerial footage of the scene from AIR7 showed a large debris field with several fire trucks at the scene.
Witness video shows the pure panic in the aftermath of the crash, with people screaming for help and unmoving bodies scattered on the sidewalk.
Gian Barbarona missed the minivan’s path by mere inches and said to Eyewitness News, “I felt the wind of the whoosh, of the wind, on my left shoulder.”
In the chaos people dialed 911 as Metro passengers kept emerging from underground to the violent scene.
In the field of debris at the center of what’s now a crime scene, Noe Orozco arrived to find one of his colleagues, a beloved food vendor, dead on the sidewalk with no explanation. With tears in his eyes, he told Eyewitness News that he actually worked with them, dropping them off every morning and picking them up. He said he had just pick them up as usual when he saw the scene.
This kind of mass casualty scene, in the heart of a population center, drew the presence of LAPD chief Jim McDonnell.
“Investigators have the video. They’ll run it down and slow motion it and take it frame-by-frame to determine what happened,” McDonnell said.
Nearby streets were closed for the investigation. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes. LAPD said the intersection of Lankershim and Chandler will be closed for hours.
Metro said service is operating as usual.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass posted a statement on social media that said:
“Today, an SUV drove onto a sidewalk near the North Hollywood Metro Station, striking a group of street vendors and pedestrians. Tragically, preliminary reports indicate that three people have lost their lives and others have been injured. First responders are on the scene, and my office is closely coordinating with City departments as authorities work to determine what caused this horrific incident. I’m heartbroken for the families of everyone impacted. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”
No further details were immediately known. The investigation remains ongoing.
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Source: abc7.com
