Boyle Heights DUI crash: 5 injured, 1 critically, after SUV plows into popular Boyle Heights deli
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Car plows into group of diners in Boyle Heights
A car crashed into a group of people eating outside a deli in Boyle Heights.
LOS ANGELES - A horrifying sidewalk crash caught on surveillance video left five people injured Tuesday afternoon after a suspected impaired driver careened into an outdoor dining area in Boyle Heights.
One victim suffered catastrophic injuries resulting in a double leg amputation, according to authorities.
What we know:
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the collision happened around 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and North Lorena Street, near Evergreen Cemetery.
A driver traveling westbound on Cesar Chavez Avenue made a U-turn, jumped the curb on the southeast corner, struck a power box, and slammed into the front door area of the popular Los Cinco Puntos Mexican deli.
Surveillance video from the deli shows a group of people enjoying lunch at an outdoor sidewalk table when the white SUV plowed directly into them.
Five pedestrians in total were injured and transported to local hospitals:
- One victim suffered a double leg amputation as a result of the impact.
- A 50-year-old woman suffered major leg injuries—including a broken leg—and is currently in stable condition.
- A 50-year-old man was hospitalized with a head injury, complaining of severe head pain.
- A fourth victim was hospitalized with varying injuries.
- A fifth person was treated for minor injuries.
The LAPD confirmed that a woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI.
What we don't know:
While police confirmed the U-turn preceded the crash, it's unclear what specific factor triggered the driver to lose complete control of the vehicle.
Officials have not yet released the identity or the age of the driver arrested for DUI, nor have they provided the identities of the five victims.
What they're saying:
Witnesses at the busy intersection described a chaotic and terrifying scene.
One witness recounted the moment of impact in Spanish, stating through a translator that he heard braking followed by a sound like "thunder."
Another bystander described the immediate aftermath of the crash: "I heard the impact and I thought maybe someone had died, then all these people were running over to see."
What's next:
The LAPD's Central Traffic Division will continue its investigation into the mechanics of the crash as prosecutors review serious felony DUI charges against the arrested driver.
Meanwhile, business owners and residents noted that protective bollards had previously been installed near the building. The safety failure is expected to spark further community discussion regarding long-standing neighborhood concerns about traffic safety at this specific intersection.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Los Angeles Police Department and security camera footage provided to FOX 11 directly by Los Cinco Puntos Mexican deli, as well as interviews with witnesses. Additional details regarding the driver's maneuver and the specific severity of the pedestrians' injuries were obtained via direct updates from a sergeant at the LAPD's Central Traffic Division speaking to City News Service.