One killed after SUV slams into Silver Lake restaurant

One person was killed and two others were seriously injured Wednesday morning when an SUV crashed into the front of a restaurant in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, officials said.

According to witnesses, the vehicle was on the wrong side of the street and speeding when it swerved to avoid an oncoming car. Then, shortly after 10:30 a.m., the SUV careened into the L&E Oyster Bar in the 1600 block of North Silver Lake Boulevard.

The vehicle struck someone riding either a motorcycle or a scooter, toppled a tree and, on impact, overturned into the building.

One person died at the scene and two others — a 72-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man — were taken to the hospital in serious condition, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Lamill Coffee, across the street from the restaurant, was open at the time of the crash. Johnny Mendoza, a store manager, said he and others heard what sounded like an explosion and ran across the street with a fire extinguisher to put out a small blaze in the car. Mendoza said there was a driver and a passenger in the SUV, whom they helped from the vehicle. Both were taken to the hospital, he said.

Authorities could not confirm who was taken to the hospital and did not provide information on the person who died.

L&E Oyster Bar, which had been providing curbside takeout only, was not open at the time of the crash. The area around the restaurant on Silver Lake Boulevard is currently closed off as police investigate the crash.

Times staff writer Deborah Vankin contributed to this report.