Driver accused of plowing into L.A. crowd charged with 37 counts of attempted murder

LOS ANGELES — A man who authorities said intentionally drove a car into a crowd of people outside a Los Angeles nightclub last week has been charged with 37 counts of attempted murder, the Los Angeles County district attorney said Tuesday.

Fernando Ramirez, 29, could face multiple sentences of life in prison if convicted, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. In addition to the attempted murder counts, Ramirez is charged with 37 counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Hochman said that the incident early Saturday “could have been catastrophic” and that it was a miracle that no one died.

“When he drove that car onto that sidewalk, he aimed it at a whole sea of pedestrians that were in front of him on the sidewalk at 2 a.m.,” Hochman said. “Many of them were at the taco truck or they were waiting at valet or they were waiting to get into the club.”

Over 100 first responders rushed to the scene outside the Vermont Hollywood nightclub, authorities said.

Ramirez, of San Clemente in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, was being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, Hochman said. It was not clear Tuesday evening whether he had an attorney.

Ramirez is accused of driving a Nissan compact sedan on the sidewalk of Vermont Avenue, southbound from Santa Monica Boulevard, before he struck carts that were most likely vendors and ultimately stopped after he hit a light pole, police said.

An investigation into what led up to the incident and how it unfolded is ongoing, officials said.

Two law enforcement sources familiar with the situation have said the driver had been kicked out of the venue for being intoxicated and disruptive.

After the crash into the crowd, bystanders pulled the driver from the vehicle, officials said. Someone from across the street approached and shot him in the back, Los Angeles police said.

Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the shooting was not justified.

“We understand the emotions involved, but when the threat had ended and the suspect was no longer actively harming others, the use of deadly force was both unlawful and dangerous to everybody present,” McDonnell said.

Detectives are working to identify the shooter and arrest him, he said.