Suspect in East Hollywood nightclub car-ramming has violent criminal history

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The man accused of plowing his car into a crowd outside an East Hollywood nightclub and injuring dozens has a long and violent criminal history, including nearly a dozen cases in Orange County alone.

Records show the suspect, 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, lives in San Clemente. Neighbors told Eyewitness News that he lives with his mother in a small apartment.

Ramirez has an extensive criminal history for several violent crimes in Orange County, including two stints in state prison.

One incident occurred at a Whole Foods store in Laguna Beach. Court records say he was convicted of battery as well as a hate crime after assaulting a Black employee at the store and later used multiple racial slurs.

The hate crime was later overturned because of Miranda violations.

Even though he was sentenced to four years in state prison in early 2020, he was released after less than a year and a half. Since then, he's been convicted of several more crimes, including resisting arrest, corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and assault likely to cause great bodily injury.

He's still dealing with charges for domestic violence and DUI.

East Hollywood crash was an 'intentional act,' LAPD captain says

The crash occurred outside the Vermont Hollywood nightclub near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Vermont Avenue around 2 a.m. Saturday as the venue closed for the night.

The driver, identified by police as Ramirez, was attacked by bystanders after the crash and paramedics later found that he had been shot. Police were still searching for the suspected shooter, described as a man with a goatee in a blue Dodgers jacket.

At least 36 people were hurt in the crash, with injuries ranging from minor pain to serious fractures and lacerations, Los Angeles police said Sunday.

Ramirez remains hospitalized with a gunshot wound. He's facing arrest on multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

LAPD Capt. Ben Fernandes called the crash "an intentional act."

"We're still trying to determine his sobriety," Fernandes said. "When you review the video, it's clear that when he drove that vehicle down a sidewalk and around a bus, it was an intentional act."

Of the people struck by the car, only one person is in critical condition. The person is expected to survive.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is expected to hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon to announce felony charges in the case.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.