Police arrest minivan driver after North Hollywood crash kills three

Investigators review video while cause and intent remain undetermined

Los Angeles police arrested Ihor Demianenko on suspicion of driving under the influence and on three counts of murder after his minivan crashed at a busy North Hollywood intersection during rush hour. The crash outside a Los Angeles metro station killed three people and critically injured two women. The vehicle ended up under a food vendor’s tent.

A police spokesperson said Demianenko was taken out of the vehicle and was able to talk after Tuesday’s crash. Police said he appeared in shock, but officials were not immediately able to determine the cause of the collision or whether he acted intentionally.

Officer Norma Eisenman identified Demianenko as a Valley Village resident of Los Angeles. She said she did not know early Wednesday whether the 61-year-old was still at a hospital. It also was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.

Besides the three deaths, the crash critically injured two women. Mayor Karen Bass said the victims included street vendors and pedestrians.

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

Luis Luna-Guzman was working at a burger stand nearby when he heard a loud boom and saw people on the ground along with food and cups. People nearby started running toward the crash, he said.

As Luna-Guzman moved closer, he found an injured woman near the bike racks, he said. Her face, arms and legs were bloody, and he recalled that her eyes were closed as she moaned in pain. “I told her, ‘Don’t move, help is coming,’” Luna-Guzman said. He added that he saw a woman’s body nearby, while another woman was lying unmoving on the stairs leading to the station.

Adrin Nazarian, a Los Angeles City Council member whose district includes North Hollywood, described the area as a close-knit community where there is always commotion and activity.

The minivan was on the sidewalk surrounded by debris Tuesday night, with its driver’s side door open and an air bag deployed. Fire engines and emergency crews worked nearby as a helicopter flew overhead.

One entrance to the metro remained closed Tuesday night, but the property otherwise was not affected and the stations for the bus and subway were open, according to Jose Ubaldo, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.