Lead: On Thursday afternoon, Feb. 5, 2026, a vehicle struck the 99 Ranch Market in Westwood, Los Angeles, killing three people and injuring several others. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified one victim on Friday as 42-year-old Deris Renoj; the two other fatalities were a 55-year-old man and a 30-year-old man. Authorities say the driver, a woman in her 70s, first struck a bicyclist before driving into the store’s bakery area; investigators are probing whether a medical episode caused the loss of control. Emergency crews removed people trapped under the vehicle and transported four injured victims to hospitals, two in critical condition.
Key Takeaways
- Three people were killed when a car crashed into the 99 Ranch Market bakery in Westwood on Thursday afternoon; one victim was identified as Deris Renoj, 42.
- The other two fatalities were a 55-year-old man and a 30-year-old man; all three were inside the store’s bakery at the time of impact.
- The driver, described as a woman in her 70s, first struck a bicyclist and then continued into the storefront; both the bicyclist and driver declined LAFD transport.
- Four injured victims were taken to hospitals: two 35-year-old men in critical condition and two men, ages 37 and 38, in fair condition.
- Los Angeles police do not currently believe the collision was intentional and are investigating a possible medical cause for the driver’s loss of control.
- Some people were initially trapped under the vehicle and had to be extricated at the scene, according to emergency responders.
- Local residents described the intersection as notorious for traffic danger, raising questions about pedestrian and storefront safety at that location.
Background
99 Ranch Market is a large grocery chain with multiple Southern California locations; the Westwood store sits in a heavily trafficked neighborhood adjacent to UCLA and local commercial corridors. Storefront vehicle intrusions—where a car breaches a retail façade—are a recurring public-safety issue in urban areas, prompting some cities to adopt protective measures such as bollards or reinforced curbs. Residents in Westwood told reporters the intersection where the crash occurred has a reputation among locals as hazardous for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.
The incident continues a pattern of high-impact traffic collisions that place first responders and trauma centers under acute strain. Los Angeles Fire Department and police units responded on Thursday and prioritized extrication and triage; the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner is handling victim identification. Municipal and public-safety agencies typically review such events for potential infrastructure or enforcement changes, but any policy response depends on the investigation’s findings about cause and culpability.
Main Event
According to statements released by emergency services and media reporting, the sequence began when a vehicle driven by a woman in her 70s struck a bicyclist in the roadway near the market. The vehicle then continued and plowed into the market’s bakery area, where three people were killed. Emergency personnel at the scene reported that some individuals had been trapped under the vehicle and were removed by responders.
Four injured people were transported to local hospitals: two men aged 35 in critical condition and two other men, 37 and 38, in fair condition. The bicyclist who was struck and the driver both declined treatment and transport by LAFD, per department statements. The driver is cooperating with investigators and is undergoing a medical evaluation while police explore whether an acute health event precipitated the crash.
Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department and assisting agencies secured the scene, documented damage and interviewed witnesses and store employees. Two store employees and one customer were among the dead, officials said; the three were located inside the bakery when the vehicle entered the store. Store operations and local traffic were disrupted for hours while authorities processed the scene.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate human toll—three dead and multiple injured—underscores the vulnerability of public-facing retail spaces to vehicle intrusions. From a policy perspective, such incidents often prompt renewed calls for physical protections (bollards, reinforced sidewalks) and for traffic-calming measures at known danger points. If investigators determine a medical event caused the driver to lose control, the case will join broader debates about assessing and managing medical fitness to drive among older adults.
Emergency-response performance appeared to focus quickly on extrication and triage, which likely reduced additional casualties; still, hospitals receiving multiple serious-trauma cases at once can face capacity stress. Longer term, city planners and store owners may face pressure to review storefront defenses, sight lines and curb design at the intersection in Westwood where residents say collisions have occurred before. Any structural changes, however, require funding, engineering study and community buy-in.
Legally, if the investigation finds no negligence and instead a sudden medical incapacitation, criminal charges may be unlikely; conversely, evidence of vehicle maintenance issues, impairment, or recklessness could produce civil or criminal proceedings. The identification of victims and the ongoing medical evaluation of the driver will be key pieces of evidence for prosecutors, civil attorneys and insurers. Politically, the event may become a focal point for calls to improve traffic safety around pedestrian-heavy commercial strips.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Count / Ages |
|---|---|
| Fatalities | 3 (ages 42, 55, 30) |
| Hospitalized injured | 4 (two age 35 – critical; one 37 – fair; one 38 – fair) |
| Driver | Woman in her 70s, undergoing medical evaluation |
| Bicyclist | Struck; declined treatment and transport |
The table above condenses the known victim counts and ages reported by emergency services and the Medical Examiner. These figures align with the on-scene triage and official victim identification announced Feb. 6, 2026. Comparing this incident to typical storefront intrusions, the combination of multiple fatalities and several severe injuries is on the higher end of recent retail-impact events in urban Los Angeles, though precise comparative statistics vary by year and reporting criteria.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials and community members expressed shock and concern while emphasizing an active investigation into causes and possible safety improvements.
This does not seem to be of any ill intent; it is being investigated, so far, as an accidental traffic collision.
Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott
Some individuals were initially trapped underneath the vehicle and had to be extricated at the scene.
LAFD spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz
We do not currently believe the crash was intentional and are exploring whether a medical issue impaired the driver.
Los Angeles Police Department (investigative statement)
Unconfirmed
- Whether a specific medical diagnosis (for example, stroke or cardiac event) caused the driver to lose control remains unconfirmed pending the driver’s medical evaluation and official findings.
- The identities of the two other deceased victims beyond the one named (Deris Renoj) have not been publicly released by the Medical Examiner at this time.
- Claims that the intersection has a recent pattern of similar crashes are based on resident accounts and require formal traffic-safety data verification.
Bottom Line
The Westwood 99 Ranch Market crash left three people dead and multiple others injured and has prompted an active investigation focused on whether a medical event caused the driver’s loss of control. Emergency responders prioritized extrication and triage, and one victim was publicly identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner on Feb. 6, 2026.
Beyond the immediate human tragedy, the incident raises policy questions about storefront protection, traffic-calming at hazardous intersections and how authorities assess medical fitness to drive among older adults. Findings from medical evaluations and the LAPD investigation will shape legal outcomes and any municipal or commercial safety responses in the weeks ahead.