Daijiworld Media Network - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Nov 12: Three women were killed and two others critically injured after a minivan allegedly driven by an intoxicated man rammed into sidewalk vendors and pedestrians near a subway station in Los Angeles, police said on Wednesday.

The driver, identified as Ihor Demianenko, 61, was arrested on murder charges following the crash outside the North Hollywood Metro stop at around 5.55 pm on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said.

The impact sent pedestrians and debris flying in different directions, according to police.

The three women who died were aged between 40 and 60. Their identities had not been released pending notification of their next of kin. Two other women, aged between 50 and 55, were in critical condition on Wednesday.

Police initially reported that the driver was critically injured but later said his injuries were minor.

Los Angeles City Council member Adrin Nazarian said the driver was under the influence of alcohol and had veered off the road to the right before hitting people on the sidewalk.

A witness told NBC Los Angeles that one of the vendors who died was a familiar presence in the neighbourhood and worked at the same corner every day.

Mayor-elect Nithya Raman said the tragedy had deeply shaken the community, expressing condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed. She said reports that some of the victims were street vendors who had served the neighbourhood for years made the loss particularly devastating.

Demianenko's bail was set at more than $6 million, according to police and jail records. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.