LOS ANGELES — A man killed when a car plowed into a sidewalk taco stand in Pomona on Friday night has been identified by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
The victim was identified as Gilberto Cazares Payan, 52, officials said Saturday. Twelve other people were injured in the crash, including three who were listed in critical condition.
The driver of the car, a 26-year-old Pomona resident, was in custody, said Aly Mejia, a spokesperson for the Pomona Police Department. Mejia said there had not been a determination whether drugs or alcohol were involved, and that she could provide no information on possible charges.
ABC7 News reported Saturday that Payan’s granddaugher said he was a father of four who was visiting the taco stand to buy dinner.
Firefighters were called at 7:43 p.m. to the area of Holt Avenue and Dudley Street, said Imy Velderrain, a supervising dispatcher with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Arriving units found 13 victims, Velderrain said. Payan was declared dead at the scene, three were classified as critical medical transports, seven as delayed medical transports, and two people declined ambulance transport against medical advice.
An eyewitness, Javier Romero, 52, told the Los Angeles Times he saw chaos as he exited the nearby Cardenas Market.
“I saw everything all over the place,” Romero said. “Like people flying that way, a lady over by the driveway.”
Romero narrowly escaped the accident because, he said, he did not have enough money for tacos and instead went to the market to buy food for his two children.
“I think I’m two minutes to getting dead,” Romero said.
Romero, who said he was standing about 100 feet away, said he only heard screaming after the car came through.
“Everybody screaming,” he said. “Everybody screaming.”
Romero said, “It’s really sad. It’s hard-working guys trying to make a living for their families.”
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