Women killed in North Hollywood Metro station crash revered as pillars of the community

A typical Tuesday evening on a busy North Hollywood street was tragically upended when a driver in a minivan, suspected of being under the influence, hopped the curb and barreled onto a crowded sidewalk, killing three people and severely injuring two others.

Close to 6 p.m., Ihor Demianenko, 61, a resident of Valley Village, was driving south on Lankershim Boulevard near Chandler Boulevard at “an unsafe speed” when he veered to the right, ran off the road and crashed into a lamppost, just steps from the Metro B Line station, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was arrested Tuesday at the scene and booked on suspicion of three counts of murder and driving under the influence and is being held on more than $6-million bail.

Three women were killed, and two others were critically injured, police said. The victims’ identities have not been released pending notification of relatives.

On Wednesday morning, a memorial of lighted votive candles, flower bouquets, a “Rest in Peace” sign and a teddy bear surrounded the base of a disfigured metal lamppost where police say Demianenko crashed his white Toyota Sienna.

LaDuke Warwick, 47, was there paying his respects. He told The Times that an act of kindness from one of the women changed his life.

Warwick said he was homeless about five months ago and sleeping on a vent near where the women sold snacks, hot dogs and breads.

One day, one of the women approached him and told him to come with her.

“I haven’t watched you eat in three days,” he recalled her saying. She gave Warwick one of her hot dogs.

That single act of kindness bloomed into a fond relationship as Warwick started to spend hours with her and the other vendors, chatting, laughing and eating.

Even after he moved into a tiny home, he’d return to visit the vendors, including the day before the crash, when the same vendor sold him several energy drinks and hot dogs.

“Everybody in this area loved them,” Warwick said. “They were such sweet souls.”

Standing near the corner late Wednesday morning where the crash occurred, Warwick pointed at the disfigured post.

That, Warwick said, was exactly where the ladies would set up every day.

Their setup was destroyed in Tuesday night’s crash. The right side of the vehicle was mangled and soda cans and a sheet pan were scattered on the ground.

Underneath the car tires was a blue canopy tent common to food vendors across the city.

Rick Resendiz, 40, was standing with his arms crossed looking at the memorial Wednesday morning, trying to absorb and understand the scene.

He heard the news of the crash earlier that day while driving and decided to stop by and see whether his favorite vendor, the hot dog lady, was among those lost.

“I was hoping it wasn’t her,” Resendiz said. “Everybody was really nice to her. She was really friendly to everybody.”

The vendors have been there for years selling coffee, tamales, hot dogs and pastries, said 12-year-old Kassandra Guzman, who saw the crash.

Kassandra was sitting at her family’s smashburger stand across Lankershim Boulevard when she saw the SUV barrel straight into the vendor setup.

“I’m just glad it wasn’t my family, but it still hurts,” she said.

The location of the crash — on a stretch of Lankershim between Chandler and Victory boulevards — has been regarded by L.A. transportation officials as one of the city’s most dangerous corridors.

Between 2009 and 2019, there were 22 severe and fatal collisions on that stretch of Lankershim, according to the L.A. Department of Transportation’s website, which said that safety improvements — including higher visibility crosswalks, a new traffic signal and protected left-turn signals — are underway.

The improvements are slated as part of Vision Zero, the program launched by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2015 to eliminate all traffic deaths in the city by 2025.

Metro board Director Imelda Padilla issued a statement Tuesday saying the location of the crash, “was not a safe environment for our beloved street vendors to be set up; and this devastating incident underscores exactly why we need designated spaces to protect our street vendors and keep our sidewalks safe for everyone.”

She argued for a state policy that would create designated areas for vendors.

“What happened last night was horrific,” City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, whose district includes North Hollywood, said in a statement Wednesday. “Someone made the selfish, reckless choice to drive drunk, and it cost three people their lives. Our focus now is on these families.”

Nazarian said in his statement that he worked with a nonprofit, Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods Community Development Corp. to set up a fundraiser to support the victims’ families and the city’s street vendors. The GoFundMe had raised more than $15,000 as of Wednesday evening.

“I am stunned by the tragic loss of life in North Hollywood and my thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and everyone affected by this devastating incident,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “My thoughts are also with those who were critically injured, and I am hoping for their recovery during this difficult time.”

Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.