The Associated Press is reporting that the fatal crash at Highland and Sunset in Hollywood early this morning was caused by a red-light runner. Here's the AP story:
Authorities say a taxi driver is dead and at least two other people are injured after the driver of a BMW allegedly ran a red light at a Hollywood intersection and struck the taxicab, spurring a four-car crash.
Police spokeswoman Sara Faden says the BMW was traveling southbound on Highland Avenue when the driver ran the red light at Sunset Boulevard and hit an eastbound taxicab on its left side, killing the driver.
At least two others had minor injuries.
Faden says the crash occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Thursday.
The usually busy intersection of Sunset and Highland was expected to be shut down until at least dawn for the investigation.
I'll try to update this later as more details come available.
UPDATE, 7:55 a.m.: LAPD spokesman Richard French said that the driver of the BMW is in custody and police are trying to determine if the motorist was under the influence of alcohol. French would not identify the driver. The victim has also not yet been identified by police. The taxi driver died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center earlier today.
The Highland and Sunset intersection remains closed, as are several other intersections in the immediate area, French said. He said the police are trying to reopen streets in the area by 8:30 a.m.
UPDATE, 3:45 p.m.: Here's the link to a story on our website about the crash. Police identified the victim as Karen Karapetyan, 33, of Garden Grove. Avishkar Padhye, 29, who was driving the BMW, was being held by the LAPD in lieu of $100,000 bail. Roads in the area didn't reopen until after 11 a.m.
--Steve Hymon
photo: Al Seib / LAT
