Three people were killed and six others were injured Thursday after a car hit a bicyclist and then barreled into a 99 Ranch Market in Westwood just after noon, Los Angeles authorities said. The driver, a 92-year-old woman, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Police and fire officials said the driver in a Toyota Prius struck a bicyclist near Westwood Boulevard and Rochester Avenue shortly after 12 p.m., continued about a block and swerved into the grocery store’s bakery section. Several people were trapped beneath the vehicle as shoppers and employees scrambled. Los Angeles Police Department commanders said early evidence suggests the crash was an accidental traffic collision, not an intentional act. A formal cause has not been determined. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office will release the victims’ names after family notifications. The driver was undergoing a medical evaluation, and the bicyclist declined transport, officials said.
Crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived within minutes to find the Prius entirely inside the market, debris scattered across display cases and flooring. Two men, ages 30 and 55, and a 42-year-old woman who were in the bakery area were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Two men, both 35, were taken to hospitals in critical condition; two other men, ages 38 and 37, were listed in fair condition later in the day. A bicyclist who was hit outside and the elderly driver both declined ambulance transport but were evaluated. “At this time, it appears to be an unfortunate accident,” Capt. Anthony Espinoza of the Los Angeles Police Department said. “There is no indication it was intentional.” Westwood Boulevard was closed for hours as investigators documented skid marks and mapped the crash site.
LAFD spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said firefighters stabilized the vehicle, accounted for everyone believed to be inside the store and worked with paramedics to triage victims. Photos from inside showed the hatchback’s trunk popped open near a counter advertising street-food desserts, with shattered glass and toppled cases nearby. The market sits about a mile south of the UCLA campus in a dense commercial district that draws neighborhood shoppers throughout the day. Detectives from LAPD’s West Traffic Division collected surveillance footage from nearby businesses and the store’s interior. “Our priority is to determine what led to the collision sequence beginning with the bicyclist,” Espinoza said, adding that speed estimates and mechanical inspections would follow routine protocols.
Authorities did not immediately release the victims’ names, citing notification procedures, and said it was too early to specify how many people, if any, were pinned beneath the vehicle before firefighters cleared the aisles. Officials emphasized that early statements could change as evidence is analyzed. The driver, whose name also was not released, provided a statement to officers and consented to a medical workup, according to police. Investigators said there was no initial sign of a pursuit, road rage or an additional vehicle forcing the crash path. The bicyclist told authorities he did not need hospital care at that time. No officers were injured during the response, and building inspectors were called to assess structural damage to the storefront.
Thursday’s crash drew comparisons from local residents to past high-profile collisions involving older drivers and crowded pedestrian areas in Southern California. Westwood’s main corridors carry constant cross-traffic between the neighborhood’s apartments, offices and shopping plazas, and the area’s mix of narrow driveways and heavy foot traffic can complicate emergency access during peak hours. While investigators cautioned against broad conclusions, the incident underscored the recurring dangers at busy curb cuts and midblock driveways along the boulevard. City records show Westwood has seen multiple injury crashes near the Rochester intersection in recent years, though none as deadly inside a business.
Detectives said the inquiry will proceed in phases over the next several days. Tasks include downloading the vehicle’s onboard data, reviewing camera footage, conducting a mechanical inspection and interviewing additional witnesses. Toxicology screening for impairment is part of standard procedure, though police said there was no immediate evidence of intoxication. Prosecutors will review the case once the traffic investigation is complete to determine whether any charges are appropriate. The coroner will rule on cause and manner of death for each victim. City officials said updates could follow after formal identifications and once investigators complete preliminary findings.
Shoppers described a chaotic scene as alarms sounded and employees rushed to help. One customer said people shouted for jacks and boxes to prop displays while firefighters moved in with equipment. Outside, yellow tape ringed the parking lot while officers directed drivers away from the block and store employees huddled together, some making calls to family. By late afternoon, tow trucks idled nearby as detectives finished measurements inside the market. A hand-lettered sign posted at a side entrance told would-be shoppers the store was closed until further notice.
As of Friday morning, police had not publicly identified the driver or the three people who died. Westwood Boulevard lanes reopened overnight, and the store remained closed. Investigators are expected to release additional details after next-of-kin notifications and preliminary crash reconstructions are completed later today. The case remains under active review.
Author note: Last updated February 6, 2026.