Police arrest man suspected of shooting driver who crashed into an LA crowd

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have arrested the man suspected of shooting the driver who rammed his car into a crowd outside a Los Angeles nightclub last month.

The car crashed into a crowd of patrons leaving the Vermont Hollywood venue in the early hours of July 19 along a busy boulevard in East Hollywood, leading bystanders to attack the driver, authorities said.

The driver was later found to have been shot in the lower back and the suspect escaped on foot, according to police.

Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Redondo Beach, about 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) south of LA. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder without bail.

A phone number for Villalobos or family members could not be found in an online database search and the public defender's office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The driver, 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was initially taken to a hospital. His car came to a stop after colliding with several food carts, which became lodged underneath the vehicle.

Some people were briefly trapped beneath the vehicle, police said. At least 23 people were taken to the hospital, with injuries ranging from minor pain to serious fractures and lacerations.

Police have not released information on whether Villalobos knew the driver, or what the driver's motive was in the crash.

Ramirez was charged with 37 felony counts of attempted murder and 37 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he could face multiple sentences of life imprisonment.