Police say a speeding minivan ran a red light before slamming into two southbound cars at a busy intersection.
LOS ANGELES — A U.S. Marine identified by relatives as Adrian Carrillo and his girlfriend were killed Friday night when a speeding minivan ran a red light and collided with their Ford Mustang at Terra Bella Street and Woodman Avenue in Panorama City, authorities said.
The crash, reported about 9:30 p.m. Friday, drew firefighters and police from across the San Fernando Valley to a scene of crushed metal, toppled poles and a growing candle memorial. Investigators say a gray Plymouth minivan heading west on Terra Bella failed to stop for a red light and struck two vehicles — a blue Mustang and a tan Honda Civic — moving south on Woodman. Paramedics pronounced the Mustang’s two occupants and the minivan’s driver dead at the intersection. A man riding in the minivan was pulled from the wreckage and taken to a hospital in critical condition. Detectives are reviewing video and witness statements while families begin to identify loved ones.
Police said the minivan may have been fleeing an earlier, unrelated crash moments before it entered the intersection. The Honda Civic’s driver left on foot after the impact and has not been found. At the crash site Saturday, candles and flowers lined the curb where the Mustang came to rest against a light pole. “He was like the brother I never had,” said Juan Bautista, a cousin who named Carrillo as the Marine killed with his girlfriend. “He took care of his parents and always put family first,” Bautista said. The Los Angeles Fire Department said a 35-year-old man from the minivan was rushed to surgery. Three others involved declined treatment at the scene, according to officials.
Authorities have not publicly released the victims’ names. Family members identified the Marine as 26-year-old Adrian Carrillo and said his girlfriend died beside him in the Mustang. The Fire Department reported the two Mustang occupants were in their early 20s and the minivan’s driver was about 30, figures that investigators cautioned could shift as medical examiners confirm identities. The intersection sits near homes and small businesses that close late on weekends. Skid marks were visible in the crosswalk, and at least one parked vehicle along Terra Bella appeared to be struck after the initial collision. Police said speed was a factor and noted the Civic’s driver could face hit-and-run allegations. Detectives also said they are tracking the earlier crash that the minivan is believed to have fled.
Panorama City has seen periodic serious collisions along Woodman Avenue, a wide north–south arterial with multiple signals in quick succession. Friday’s wreck echoed other high-speed crashes in the Valley in recent years, including multi-car pileups linked to drivers running red lights. Residents who gathered Saturday morning said the corridor often feels like a shortcut for drivers moving between Van Nuys and Arleta after dark. Records from prior traffic operations have targeted speeding and red-light violations through the area, according to police summaries. As investigators reconstruct the sequence, they will examine roadway timing, vehicle data, and any surveillance footage from nearby storefronts and homes.
Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division are leading the case. A preliminary report will go to the Medical Examiner-Coroner to formalize identifications and causes of death. Police said the Civic’s driver who walked away could face felony counts for failing to stop, render aid and identify themselves. Officers are canvassing the neighborhood for doorbell and business cameras and asked anyone who witnessed either the earlier crash or the deadly collision to contact Valley Traffic. If criminal charges are recommended, prosecutors could review the file as early as next week after scene mapping and interviews are completed.
By late Saturday, candles, flowers and handwritten notes stretched along the curb where the Mustang came to rest. Neighbors paused to pray and touch the car’s crumpled side panel. “I didn’t know them, but it hurts,” said Dominique Herrera, who left a bouquet before attending a nearby church service. Another resident, Ivonne Hooker, said the couple lived within walking distance. “He’d just come home for the holidays,” she said. Traffic officers remained at the corner, directing drivers around closed lanes while a tow crew lifted the Mustang onto a flatbed and city workers replaced a bent signal pole.
As of Sunday, police said the search continues for the Civic’s driver and for details about the earlier collision that may have set the deadly chain in motion. The Medical Examiner-Coroner is working to confirm the victims’ identities, and investigators plan to release an update this week after reviewing video evidence.
Author note: Last updated December 15, 2025.