A routine afternoon shopping trip turned into a nightmare of unimaginable horror on Thursday in Los Angeles’ Westwood neighborhood. A 92-year-old woman behind the wheel of a silver Mercedes sedan lost control after striking a bicyclist a block away, accelerating wildly before smashing through the front windows of the 99 Ranch Market supermarket. The impact claimed three innocent lives and left six others seriously injured in what authorities are investigating as a devastating accident.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and heart-wrenching. One witness, positioned across the street, recounted the terrifying seconds leading up to the disaster. She spotted the speeding vehicle from a distance and immediately began shouting frantically at store employees and customers to run for safety. “I saw it from afar but it was too late,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. Despite her desperate screams, the car barreled forward at high speed, crashing into the bakery section where people were gathered, enjoying meals or waiting for orders. The force shattered glass, overturned tables, and buried victims under debris in an instant.

The victims included two dedicated employees of the 99 Ranch Market and one customer who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. First responders arrived swiftly, performing CPR and rushing the injured to nearby hospitals, but three people could not be saved. Dashcam footage from a passing vehicle captured the horrifying moment: the sedan veering off the road, hurtling across the sidewalk, and disappearing into the storefront amid a cloud of shattered glass and screams.

The driver, an elderly woman, had reportedly clipped a bicyclist earlier on Westwood Boulevard. Instead of stopping, the vehicle continued accelerating for nearly a full city block before the fatal collision. Authorities noted that both the driver and the bicyclist declined medical transport, with the driver cooperating fully and undergoing evaluation. Police have classified the incident as an accident, with no charges filed so far, though questions linger about elderly driving safety and potential preventive measures on busy streets like Westwood Boulevard.

Community members gathered outside the cordoned-off store in the hours following the crash, hugging one another and sharing stories of the victims. Many expressed profound grief over lives cut short in such a sudden, preventable tragedy. The supermarket, a popular spot for Asian groceries and fresh bakery items, now stands as a somber reminder of how quickly everyday moments can turn catastrophic.

This heartbreaking event has reignited discussions about vehicle safety features, age restrictions for drivers, and the need for better roadside barriers at storefronts. For now, families mourn, survivors recover, and a witness’s powerless cry echoes: she tried to warn them, but the speed was merciless, and time ran out in seconds.