Girl killed, 2 women injured as car hits 2 other vehicles near Boyle Heights food stand

An 11-year-old girl was killed and two women were injured Friday night in Boyle Heights when a Mustang smashed into two other cars next to a taco stand, authorities said.

Officials responded to the scene on the 900 block of South Marietta Street, near the intersection with Whittier Boulevard, around 7 p.m., according to an alert from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Mustang had been traveling west on Whittier Boulevard at high speed when its driver lost control and veered across the center line, crashing into a sedan and pickup next to the taco stand, said Los Angeles Police Capt. Ruby Flores.

Speed was a factor in the incident, Flores added, and the department’s street-racing task force was on scene investigating the circumstances.

The 11-year-old girl died after being taken to the hospital, police said.

Two women were in critical condition and being treated at the USC Medical Center, officials said.

Although police had previously said a 15-month-old was also hurt, it appears the baby was uninjured but had been transported with its mother.

All the victims “seem to be related,” Flores said. They were described as pedestrians and not passengers in the other vehicles involved.

KTLA was at the scene as the Mustang’s 21-year-old driver was detained for questioning, but according to Flores he had not been arrested as of Friday night.

He had completed a field sobriety test, but Flores said she was not aware of the results.

Footage from the scene showed the Mustang’s windshield had been shattered, and both the sedan and Chevy truck sustained significant damage.

Shocked bystanders remained at the stand in the immediate aftermath of the incident, aerial video from Sky5 showed.

No further details were immediately available.

Times staff writer Shelby Grad contributed to this report.

UPDATES:

11:20 p.m.: Updated with KTLA reporting that a girl had died.

This article was first published at 8:15 p.m.