Tuesday afternoon at a Boyle Heights landmark turned chaotic when a three-vehicle crash sent a car up onto the sidewalk outside longtime carnicería Los 5 Puntos, slamming into the restaurant’s storefront and stopping just short of outdoor diners. The impact damaged the front door, according to witnesses, and people seated outside said they narrowly escaped injury when a family of three jumped away at the last second. Police and paramedics responded, and the area was cleared after an initial investigation.
The Los Angeles Police Department said the collision was reported at 3:18 p.m. near the intersection of Lorena Street and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and involved three vehicles, and that two people were taken to a nearby hospital. According to NBC Los Angeles, one patient was a 50-year-old woman who suffered a broken leg, while a 50-year-old man complained of head pain. Investigators have not yet clarified whether the injured were pedestrians or vehicle occupants as the investigation continues.
"Our door was damaged," the owner of Los 5 Puntos told NBC Los Angeles, adding that about five people were eating outside at the time. He said a family of three managed to "jump out of harm's way" before the car reached the curb. No arrests or charges have been announced, and officers described the case as under investigation.
Where it happened
Los 5 Puntos sits at the five‑point junction of Lorena Street and East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, a neighborhood landmark at 3300 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. The Los Angeles Conservancy notes the site's cultural importance and long history in Boyle Heights. That stretch of Cesar E. Chavez is a busy commercial corridor where sidewalks frequently host outdoor dining and see heavy foot traffic.
Street safety in Boyle Heights
City planning documents identify Lorena Street and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue as part of Los Angeles' High Injury Network and prioritize engineering fixes like protected bike lanes and traffic-calming measures, as outlined in the Boyle Heights Community Plan. The plan and the city's Vision Zero framework call for targeted street-design work to reduce severe crashes in corridors with a history of pedestrian injuries. Advocates say repeated collisions on those arterials underscore the need for faster implementation of safety projects.
Officers have not released details about what caused the collision, and the LAPD continues to describe the case as under investigation. The restaurant and the block reopened to traffic after emergency responders cleared the scene. Hoodline will update this story if officials release more information.
