2 Pedestrians Struck by Pickup Among 5 Killed in Accidents

Five people--including two North Hollywood pedestrians struck by a motorist who told police he had consumed several beers before driving--died in traffic accidents late Friday and early Saturday, authorities said.

Daniel Torres DeJesus, 35, of North Hollywood and an unidentified woman companion in her mid-20s were killed about 11:30 p.m. Friday when they were struck on a sidewalk by an out-of-control pickup truck, Los Angeles police reported.

A third pedestrian, Felipe Ibarra, 22, of North Hollywood, who also was hit by the vehicle, was in critical condition at Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills Saturday, Officer Dennis Smith said.

The driver, Fromencio Ortega, 26, of Arleta, was arrested on suspicion of murder and was being held without bail Saturday at Van Nuys Jail, police said.

Ortega was driving south on Lankershim Boulevard near Cohasset Street when he lost control of his pickup, hit a utility pole, and plowed into a brick wall and the three pedestrians, police said. The truck narrowly missed two other people on the sidewalk, Smith said.

Ibarra, who was about 300 feet down the sidewalk from the two other victims, was dragged along the wall for several feet before Ortega’s truck finally came to a stop, officers said.

Ortega tried to run from the accident scene, police said, but was grabbed and held by several bystanders until authorities arrived. Ortega, who appeared to be intoxicated, told officers that he had drunk about seven beers before the accident, Sgt. Bill Selesky said.

DeJesus was pronounced dead at Medical Center of North Hollywood shortly after the accident. The female victim was dead on arrival at Pacifica Hospital of the Valley in Sun Valley.

In other accidents, two Santa Clarita Valley men and a Reseda motorcyclist were killed Saturday morning.

The 19-year-old driver of a pickup truck and his 25-year-old passenger died about 2 a.m. Saturday in Canyon Country, the California Highway Patrol reported. Both victims were thrown from the vehicle after it flipped over on Bouquet Canyon Road north of Vasquez Canyon Road, said Officer Scott Davis.

The accident occurred when the driver, who was traveling south at high speed, failed to negotiate a curve, Davis said. The driver was believed to be intoxicated and several full cans of beer were found in the car, the CHP said.

The names of the victims were withheld until relatives could be notified.

In the third accident, Gregory Alan Fivecoats, 30, of Reseda died after he drove his motorcycle down an alley in the 7100 block of Reseda Boulevard and crashed head-on into a pickup truck, Los Angeles police said.

Fivecoats was pronounced dead at Northridge Hospital Medical Center shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Smith said. No one else was injured, police said.