A trip to a Los Angeles grocery store took a frightening turn when a Honda sedan jumped a curb and struck people gathered outside. Two people became trapped beneath the vehicle, leaving witnesses scrambling to help before firefighters could reach the scene.
The crash happened Saturday, November 7, 2026, outside Superior Grocers in the city’s Arlington Heights neighborhood. The gray Honda ended up on the sidewalk near the store entrance, where shoppers and others had gathered.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that 10 people were evaluated at the scene, with eight transported to hospitals. Among those injured was a 3-year-old child, according to CBS Los Angeles. One patient was reported to have suffered serious injuries.
Police later arrested the driver on suspicion of reckless driving, according to NBC4 and FOX 11. He claimed his brakes had failed, an explanation investigators planned to examine as they worked to determine what caused the crash.
A Sudden Impact
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Firefighters were dispatched to 4040 W. Washington Boulevard at approximately 12:51 p.m. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s incident report, the first crew arrived to find a vehicle on the sidewalk and eight people needing medical attention.
The Honda had also collided with a parked vehicle outside the store. Two victims were trapped beneath the sedan, prompting nearby witnesses to intervene before emergency crews arrived.
LAFD Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook told CBS Los Angeles that bystanders managed to free both victims before firefighters arrived.
One of those who helped was the son of a man trapped beneath the Honda. Speaking with NBC4, he described pulling his father out and checking whether he could still move his toes.
His father was bleeding from an arm and had suffered an injury to his forehead. The son said his father was stable and receiving treatment in an emergency room.
Firefighters and paramedics treated the injured as additional crews responded. CBS Los Angeles reported that one person suffered serious injuries, while FOX 11 identified an adult in their 60s among those seriously hurt. Other patients were reported to have injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Brakes
The Honda driver remained at the scene as police investigated. According to FOX 11 Los Angeles, officers arrested him on suspicion of reckless driving. NBC4 described the suspected offense as misdemeanor reckless driving causing injury.
Investigators did not suspect alcohol or drugs contributed to the collision, according to the stations’ reporting.
The driver told police that his brakes had failed. FOX 11 reported that investigators planned to inspect the Honda for a possible mechanical malfunction.
The Los Angeles Fire Department classified the crash’s cause as undetermined in its final public incident update.
All parties are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.