Personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles where a vehicle drove onto the sidewalk, struck several pedestrians, killing one of them, before crashing into a building.
Crews were dispatched to 6161 West Pico Boulevard, near La Cienega Boulevard at around 5:28 p.m. after receiving calls about the crash.
At the scene, firefighters found at least two of the three pedestrians pinned beneath a black Hyundai sedan after the driver jumped the curb onto the sidewalk, striking the three victims and crashing into a Chase Bank building.
A 48-year-old female and a 51-year-old male were taken to the hospital in serious condition. The man later succumbed to his injuries. A 19-year-old male was also taken to to the hospital in fair condition, according to an LAFD news release.
“They are all family members, all related,” Cpt. Ben Fernandes, with the Los Angeles Police Department, said of the three victims.
The driver of the vehicle, an adult male, was also treated by paramedics but declined to go to the hospital.
Surveillance video shows the driver of the Hyundai heading eastbound on Pico Boulevard before turning left on La Cienega Boulevard. That’s when the driver appears to swerve to avoid stopped traffic.
The video does not capture the moment of impact, but footage of the aftermath shows the mangled front of the car on the sidewalk just inches from the badly damaged building. On the ground, the victims clothes, shoes and personal items are strewn about.
Witnesses said that bystanders rushed to help the victims before first responders arrived. Frank Songh, who works nearby, told KTLA that there are usually people waiting at the bus stop near the crash site.
“It depends on the time of the day,” he said. “It happened around 5:30 (p.m.), and so between 5:30 (p.m.) and 6 (p.m.), I believe there are more people here.”
LAPD said that the driver of the black Hyundai remained at the scene and was fully cooperating with investigators.