3 women killed as minivan hits crowd outside North Hollywood Metro station; driver arrested

Three women were killed on Tuesday evening, November 10, when a minivan crashed into people outside a busy Metro station in North Hollywood, in Los Angeles. Two more women were critically hurt. Police arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder, according to the Associated Press.

Our thoughts go first to the families of the three women who died, and to the two women still fighting for their lives.

What happened

It happened at about 6 p.m., right in the evening commute, at a busy intersection outside the station, according to AP. Police said a white Toyota Sienna minivan was going at "an unsafe speed" when it veered right, ran off the road, hit a light pole and plowed into people on the sidewalk. It came to a stop under a food vendor's tent.

The victims included street vendors and people walking by, Mayor Karen Bass said.

Luis Luna-Guzman was working at a burger stand nearby. He told AP he heard a loud boom and saw people on the ground. He found an injured woman near the bike racks and told her to stay still until help came.

The victims

Police haven't released the victims' names. Here's what officials have said:

• Killed: three women, ages 40 to 60. They died at the scene. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said they were Hispanic, according to the Sinclair news service.
• Critically injured: two women in their 50s, taken to hospitals in critical condition.

The driver and the charges

A police spokesperson identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko, 61, of Valley Village. He was trapped in the minivan until rescuers got him out. He had minor injuries, was able to talk, and appeared to be in shock, police said. He was booked early Wednesday on suspicion of DUI and three counts of murder, and his bail was set at just over $6 million, according to Los Angeles County jail records cited by AP. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.

Two things to keep in mind. First, these are the counts he was arrested on, not formal charges. As of Wednesday afternoon, police had not yet sent the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, a spokesperson for the office told AP. The district attorney decides what charges are actually filed. Second, police have not said what caused the crash or whether it was intentional. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Why murder and not manslaughter? In California, prosecutors can bring a murder charge in some deadly DUI crashes, usually when they can show a driver knew how dangerous drunk or drugged driving is and drove anyway. Whether that applies here is for the district attorney and, eventually, a court to decide.

What happens next

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said investigators will go through video of the crash frame by frame. "It will be probably a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here," he said, according to AP.

• Police will present the case to the district attorney, who will decide on charges.
• If charges are filed, the driver will be arraigned in court. No date has been announced.
• Test results on whether he was impaired, and by what, haven't been released.

"I'm heartbroken for the families of everyone impacted," Mayor Bass said in a social media post. "We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available."

What it means for you

Street vendors and commuters outside a train station at rush hour were doing nothing but going about their day. That's what makes crashes like this so hard to take. Impaired driving still kills more than 10,000 Americans a year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It's one of the most preventable causes of death on the road.

The common-sense lesson is old but true: if you've been drinking or using anything that slows you down, don't drive. Take a cab, a ride-share, the train, or a friend's couch. And if you see someone about to get behind the wheel impaired, speak up or take the keys. It's a small, awkward moment that can save lives.

What to watch next

• Whether the district attorney files murder charges, lesser charges, or both.
• Results of impairment testing.
• Updates on the two women in critical condition, and whether the victims' names are released.