A 61-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence in a deadly accident that occurred near a North Hollywood Metro station. The incident resulted in the death of three women and critical injuries to two others, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The driver, identified as Ihor Demianenko from Valley Village, was involved in the crash on Tuesday evening. Police concluded that he was under the influence at the time. Demianenko faces three counts of murder, with bail set at $6.03 million.
The crash took place at around 5:55 p.m. as Demianenko drove a white Toyota Sienna southbound on Lankershim Boulevard. The minivan veered suddenly, colliding with a food vendor and pedestrians on the sidewalk before coming to a stop inside a structure.
The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that three women, identified as Hispanic and aged between 40 and 60, died at the scene. Two other women, aged between 50 and 55, are in critical condition at a hospital.
Demianenko suffered minor injuries and received medical treatment before being taken into custody.
“I’m heartbroken for the families of everyone impacted,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement, expressing her condolences.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell assured a thorough investigation would be conducted to uncover the details of the crash, while offering condolences to the victims’ families.
The Valley Traffic Division of the LAPD is handling the investigation. Individuals with more information can reach out to the police through the provided contact numbers.