LA nightclub crash: Man accused of plowing into crowd in East Hollywood appears in court
An Orange County man accused of plowing into a crowd outside an East Hollywood nightclub, injuring more than three dozen people, appeared in court Wednesday.
Fernando Ramirez , 29, of San Clemente, is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Sept. 4 for arraignment. He remains jailed in lieu of roughly $37 million bail.
Ramirez is facing 37 counts of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence.
The crash occurred outside the Vermont Hollywood nightclub near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Vermont Avenue around 2 a.m. July 19.
Prosecutors say Ramirez intentionally drove his car onto the sidewalk near the venue before hitting a crowd of pedestrians.
A total of 37 people were injured in the crash, with injuries ranging from minor abrasions to serious fractures, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office.
Following the crash, Ramirez was attacked by bystanders and shot by a suspect who remains on the loose.
Ramirez has an extensive criminal history for several violent crimes in Orange County, including two stints in state prison.
City News Service contributed to this report.
