A 91-year-old woman driving a Tesla lost control while pulling into a shopping center parking lot in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles on September 3, 2026, striking a parked car before plowing into a group of pedestrians near a security stand outside a Trader Joe’s. One woman in her 30s was pronounced dead at the scene. Four other people were injured, including a 19-year-old man who suffered serious injuries and two women, ages 30 and 57, who sustained minor injuries. The driver was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Witnesses said the Tesla appeared to accelerate suddenly and would not stop despite the driver’s efforts to brake.
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the crash occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. at the Gilmore Station shopping center near Third Street and Fairfax Avenue, across from The Grove, when the Tesla struck a security stand shared by Trader Joe’s, Mendocino Farms and Sidecar Doughnuts. The outlet reported that law enforcement sources believe the crash appeared to be accidental, though the exact cause remains under investigation. KABC-AM reported that the Los Angeles Police Department has not said whether the driver will face charges as investigators continue examining what caused the Tesla to accelerate and veer into the crowd.
A 91-year-old woman is hospitalized after she lost control of her car and crashed into a group of pedestrians in a Trader Joe’s parking lot in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. One woman, believed to be in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, and four other people were taken to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious. The crash happened around 1:21 p.m. in the parking lot at 7900 W. Third Street, just across from The Grove and the Original Farmers Market. Witnesses said the driver struck a parked car before veering into the crowd and slamming into a security kiosk.
According to FOX 11 Los Angeles, the injured included a 19-year-old man in serious condition and two women, ages 57 and 30, who suffered minor injuries; the driver was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. MyNewsLA reported that Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Cody Weireter provided updates on the victims’ conditions at the scene, and that the Los Angeles Police Department is handling the crash investigation. Authorities have not released the identity of the woman who died, and the cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The investigation into what caused the driver to lose control remains active.
