NORTH HOLLYWOOD / LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has arrested 61-year-old Ihor Demianenko on three counts of murder and felony DUI after a white minivan plowed into sidewalk street vendors and pedestrians near the North Hollywood Metro station on Tuesday evening, November 10, 2026.
Authorities identified the driver as 61-year-old Ihor Demianenko, who was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked on suspicion of three counts of murder. He is being held on bail exceeding $6 million, according to police and jail records.
The collision occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, 2026, near the intersection of North Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard, during the evening rush hour.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Demianenko was driving a white Toyota Sienna southbound on Lankershim Boulevard at what investigators described as an unsafe speed. The minivan reportedly veered off the roadway, struck pedestrians and street vendors on the sidewalk, and came to rest near a food vendor’s tent.
Demianenko became trapped inside the vehicle and had to be extricated by emergency responders. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being arrested.
Three Women Lost Their Lives
Three women were pronounced dead at the scene. The LAPD identified their ages as 40, 53, and 69, but their names had not been publicly released at the time of the reports.
Two other women, believed to be between 50 and 55 years old, were also struck and transported to hospitals in critical condition.
The crash occurred in an area near the Metro entrance where street vendors regularly serve commuters and neighborhood residents. Witnesses told local media that at least two of the women who died had worked as food vendors there for years.
People who knew them described them as friendly and generous, recalling how they welcomed customers and sometimes shared food with people who could not afford to pay.
A growing memorial appeared near the crash site Wednesday as community members stopped to pay their respects.
Joseph Portillo, who regularly saw the vendors, expressed sadness over their deaths and the pain their families and children must now endure.
Noe Orozco, another vendor who said he worked alongside the women, recalled regularly dropping them off in the morning and picking them up later. He said he had just arrived to collect them as usual when he encountered the devastating scene and learned that one of his colleagues had died.
Investigation Continues
The LAPD is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. Investigators plan to review available video footage to establish how the vehicle left the roadway and what led to the collision.
Although Demianenko has been arrested and booked on suspicion of serious offenses, the allegations remain subject to the legal process. The investigation and any subsequent court proceedings will help establish the circumstances and legal findings.
For the families of the three women who died, the loss is immediate and deeply personal. Their names had not yet been released, but their lives and the kindness remembered by those who knew them remain part of the community’s story.
Thoughts and condolences are with their families, friends, the injured victims, and everyone affected by this tragedy.
