You’ll feel the immediate weight of a life cut short when you learn how a mother of five ended up on a morning shift she hadn’t planned to work. Deris Renoj picked up a co-worker’s shift and was killed when a vehicle crashed into the 99 Ranch Market in Westwood, a sudden tragedy that left her family and community reeling.
The piece explains what happened that morning, who else was affected, and how the community has responded. Expect concise facts about the crash, profiles of those lost, and a look at the safety and policy questions this incident raises, including reactions from family and neighbors.
Find more detailed reporting about the incident and its aftermath in coverage such as the New York Post’s account of the employee who wasn’t scheduled but volunteered to work (https://nypost.com/2026/02/10/us-news/mom-killed-in-westwood-supermarket-crash-wasnt-scheduled-to-work-but-selflessly-picked-up-shift/).
What Happened the Morning Deris Renoj Lost Her Life
Three people died and several others were injured after a vehicle drove through the storefront of a 99 Ranch Market in Westwood. The incident occurred during a morning shift that Deris Renoj had agreed to cover; authorities later identified her among the fatalities.
Details of the Crash and Timeline
On Feb. 5, a car driven by a 92-year-old woman struck a bicyclist and continued onto Westwood Boulevard before entering the 99 Ranch Market storefront. Dashcam and video coverage captured the vehicle moving at street speed along the sidewalk and then crashing through the glass entrance. The collision happened during morning hours when the store had staff and early customers inside.
Investigators established a short timeline: the bicyclist was hit in the roadway, the driver did not stop, and within moments the car breached the market interior. Officials reported three people were killed at the scene and multiple others were taken to hospitals with injuries. Local outlets named Deris Renoj as one of the deceased.
Victims and Immediate Aftermath
Deris Renoj, a 42-year-old mother of five, was working the morning shift she had picked up and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other people inside the store also died; media and police later identified at least one additional victim. Several shoppers and employees sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious and were transported to nearby trauma centers.
Family members and coworkers described Renoj as someone who covered shifts for colleagues; she had recently celebrated a birthday. The market closed temporarily after the crash while staff and emergency crews secured the area and began documenting the scene. Community members and relatives gathered outside the store in shock following the news.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Los Angeles Police Department officers and Los Angeles Fire Department crews arrived quickly, treating the injured and securing the building. Paramedics triaged victims on site; ambulances took multiple patients to area hospitals. Investigators processed dashcam and surveillance footage to reconstruct the vehicle’s path and actions before impact.
Authorities questioned the 92-year-old driver and collected evidence to determine whether the crash stemmed from a medical event, driver error, or other factors. The California Highway Patrol and local detectives coordinated with store management while attorneys and family representatives, including those connected to names reported in coverage like Zih Dao and Leonel Mateo, engaged with investigators and the press. Coverage appeared in outlets such as People and local news reports.
Community Grieving, Lasting Impact, and Calls for Safer Streets
Neighbors gathered at the corner where the crash occurred and family members set up a small memorial with flowers, children’s drawings, and candles. The neighborhood repeatedly returns to that spot to remember her and to talk about what needs to change.
Family, Friends, and Memorial Efforts
Her immediate family and close friends held a vigil the night after the incident. Attendees shared memories of her as a caregiver and organizer — a mother who picked up an extra shift so her children could have school lunches the next week.
A framed photo, stuffed animals, and handwritten notes now sit by the curb, and volunteers rotate days to keep the memorial tidy. The family asked for privacy but welcomed visits from neighbors who brought meals and offered to help with childcare.
Local clergy and a small neighborhood association coordinated a commemorative service, where speakers called for practical support for the children and a scholarship fund in her name. Those efforts aim to convert grief into ongoing community care.
Support Initiatives and Crowdfunding
A crowdfunding campaign launched within 48 hours to cover immediate funeral costs and short-term living expenses for the five children. The page lists specific budget items — funeral, counseling for the kids, and a short-term rent buffer — and updates donors with clear financial tallies.
Local businesses donated gift cards and groceries; a daycare offered reduced rates for siblings still in care. Several neighbors organized a meal train and a rotating pickup schedule to keep the children’s routines stable.
Mental-health providers volunteered pro bono counseling slots, and a grief-support group scheduled weekly meetings at the community center to help classmates and neighbors process the loss.
Traffic Safety Advocacy and Preventing Similar Tragedies
Traffic safety advocates quickly pointed to the intersection’s history of speed complaints and near-misses. Activists, including a local organizer named Deris Renoj, collected petition signatures asking the city for immediate interventions.
Requests include installing concrete bollards at pedestrian-heavy corners, adding a raised crosswalk, and improving street lighting. The petition references nearby cities that reduced pedestrian deaths after similar measures were installed.
City council members announced a temporary traffic study and promised a public meeting. Residents pressed for a clear timeline and budget for concrete bollards and other engineering fixes, arguing those steps could prevent another family from suffering the same loss.
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