Three killed, six injured after vehicle crashes into LA grocery store

WESTWOOD, Calif. (KESQ) - The driver of a silver sedan struck a bicyclist then careened into a Westwood supermarket today, leaving three people dead and six others injured.

The crash was reported at 12:11 p.m. at the 99 Ranch Market at 1350 S. Westwood Blvd., on the corner of Rochester Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, according to LAFD Capt. Erik Scott, and four others were taken to hospitals -- two in serious to critical condition and two in moderate condition. Two other people were evaluated at the scene but declined to be taken to a hospital.

It was unclear where the three victims who died were located, although video from the scene showed at least one body outside the store.   

Scott said multiple people wound up trapped beneath the silver sedan inside the market. It was unclear if any of those were among the deceased.   

A triage operation was set up by LAFD personnel outside the market, an Asian foods store. The massive rescue response closed a stretch of Westwood Boulevard, which was completely blocked by emergency vehicles.   

According to police and fire officials, the southbound motorist -- described only as an elderly woman -- struck a bicyclist about a block away from the store then swerved onto the sidewalk and through the glass windows of the market, coming to a stop in the bakery area of the shop.

The bicyclist who was struck was evaluated at the scene but declined to be taken to a hospital, according to fire officials. The driver of the care also was not seriously injured and was being interviewed by investigators at the scene.

Authorities described the crash as a tragic accident, saying it did not appear to be an intentional act.

The building was previously the site of a Borders bookstore.