Witnesses said the car struck a parked vehicle before hitting people outside an East Oakland market.
OAKLAND, CA — A juvenile driver was arrested after a speeding car struck pedestrians outside an East Oakland market late Saturday, killing three people and injuring several others near International Boulevard and 85th Avenue, authorities said.
The crash has shaken a busy East Oakland corridor where residents, workers and late-night customers were gathered near East Bay Market Liquor. Police said the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed before turning onto International Boulevard. Investigators were still working Monday to determine why the crash happened and whether alcohol or drugs played a role.
The collision happened about 11:15 p.m. Saturday. Oakland police said the vehicle was going north on 85th Avenue before making a westbound turn onto International Boulevard. The car struck a parked vehicle and then hit people in the area. One witness told ABC7 that the driver hit a blue car and appeared to speed up before moving along the sidewalk. “I seen him coming, but there was nothing I could do,” the witness said. “He was going too fast.” Michael Turner, who said he was across the street with friends, described hearing tires screech and then a loud crash. Turner said the engine roared after the first impact and the car continued down the sidewalk.
Police said three pedestrians died at the scene. Three other pedestrians were taken to local hospitals, with conditions ranging from stable to critical. The driver also was taken to a hospital for minor injuries before being arrested. Fire officials said two other people suffered minor injuries, bringing the total number of injured people to five. Authorities had not released the names, ages or hometowns of the people killed as of Monday. Police also had not released the juvenile driver’s name, age or gender. Under California law, many details in juvenile cases are kept from public release unless a court process allows more information to be made public.
Witness Cornelius Reed told KTVU he was outside East Bay Market Liquor Store and tried to help after the impact. Reed said several victims were longtime friends. He described a chaotic scene with people badly hurt and bystanders rushing toward the wreckage. Reed said the driver got out of the SUV and tried to run away, but bystanders stopped the driver before police arrived. Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt also said the driver was stopped by bystanders after attempting to leave the scene. Police later arrested the driver in connection with the fatal crash. Investigators did not immediately say what charges could follow.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee issued a statement Sunday saying the city was mourning the lives lost in the crash at International Boulevard and 85th Avenue. “Our hearts are with the victims, their families, loved ones, and all of those impacted,” Lee said. She also thanked Oakland police, Oakland fire crews and other first responders. City Councilmember Noel Gallo said Sunday that Oakland needs more officers on the streets, including during daytime and nighttime hours. The comments came as police continued to gather witness statements, review video and process the scene along a corridor known for shops, bus traffic and heavy neighborhood foot traffic.
The crash came about two weeks after another Oakland pedestrian collision that injured seven people on May 2, when police said a driver went onto a sidewalk in the city’s Uptown area. Authorities have not linked the two incidents. In the East Oakland crash, investigators were still working to confirm the driver’s path, the vehicle’s speed and the sequence of impacts. Surveillance video described by local news outlets showed the vehicle moving quickly before it hit a parked car and people near the storefront. Police have not said whether the gathering outside the market was connected to any event, and they have not said how many people were standing on or near the sidewalk when the car hit.
The case now moves through a traffic investigation and a juvenile legal process. Police said the driver was arrested, but officials had not announced formal charges by Monday. Investigators were expected to use witness accounts, dispatch audio, medical reports, surveillance footage and crash-scene evidence to determine whether prosecutors will file charges and which charges may apply. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office typically reviews fatal crash cases after police submit evidence. Because the driver is a juvenile, court proceedings may be handled differently than an adult criminal case. Police said the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
At Highland Hospital on Sunday, Shedrick Henry said his childhood friend was in very serious condition and going through surgery after the crash. Henry said the wreck was “a nightmare for the community” and said the victims were loved ones whose families were waiting for answers. Near the crash site, neighbors lit candles for the three people who died. Images from the scene showed people hugging near the intersection and a heavy police presence around the damaged area. Witnesses described the crash as sudden, loud and difficult to process, with bystanders first trying to reach the injured and then stopping the driver from leaving.
As of Monday, police had not released the identities of the three people killed or a full list of injuries. The next milestone is the completion of the police traffic investigation and any charging decision by prosecutors.
Author note: Last updated Monday, May 18, 2026.