Prosecutors charge suspected driver in LA ramming with 37 counts of attempted murder

Los Angeles prosecutors on Tuesday announced charges against a suspect believed to be responsible for injuring at least 37 people over the weekend, after he allegedly drove his car through a crowd in East Hollywood on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) alleged the driver rammed his vehicle into a crowd of people, mostly female, while they were waiting to enter a nightclub called Vermont on Santa Monica Boulevard. 

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman identified the suspect as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, and charged him with 37 counts of attempted murder and 37 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Associated Press.

Ramirez was allegedly shot by a bystander during the incident, where he also collided with several food carts, but survived.

“This was an unprovoked act of violence that injured 36 people, some critically,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. “It’s truly a miracle that no one was killed that day.”

Hochman said the suspect also committed the crime while he was out on bail for a domestic violence case in Orange County. He is being held without bail on the new charges and will be arraigned Wednesday. 

“The defendant’s brazen and destructive actions, as alleged in the criminal complaint, have caused unimaginable harm to dozens of innocent people,” Hochman said in a statement. “This is a heinous act that left dozens injured, and while the allegations will be tested in court, the impact on the victims is undeniable. Our thoughts are with them and their loved ones as they begin the long road to recovery. We are committed to pursuing justice with care and compassion for those impacted.”

Ramirez also reportedly has a longer criminal history that includes at least one felony battery conviction from 2020, Fox News reported.

If convicted, Ramirez faces a maximum of multiple life sentences in state prison.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.