Police Identify Family Killed in Highland Avenue Crash

Authorities Thursday identified a woman and her two daughters who were killed in a collision involving their minivan and an SUV allegedly being driven on the wrong side of a Hollywood street.

The crash happened about 7:25 a.m. Wednesday in the 800 block of North Highland Avenue.

Killed were Saida Juana Mendez-Bernardino, 27, Hilda Cruz, 6, and Stephanie Cruz, 4, all from Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.

Hilda died at the scene, and her mother and her younger sister died at a hospital, the LAPD reported.

Mendez-Bernardino was driving a 2002 Dodge Caravan north on Highland Avenue and turning left onto Willoughby Avenue when her minivan was struck on the driver's side by a 2004 Infiniti SUV that "for unknown reasons was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes," police said. The Dodge minivan then crashed into a utility pole.

The Infiniti was driven by a 74-year-old Lawndale man who was hospitalized in critical condition, police said. His name was not released.

"Detectives do not believe drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision," police said in a statement.

Anyone with information on the crash was urged to call LAPD Detective Stephanie Banks, (213) 473-0227, or (877) LAPD-247.

Stay connected with Hollywood Patch throughout the day on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for email updates.