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.
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