Los Angeles: Driver crashes into a crowd, injured dozens of people
The driver crashed into a crowd in East Hollywood, causing more than 20 people to be injured.
Police arrested a man suspected of ploughing dozens of people into a crowd outside a Los Angeles nightclub in July and causing fire to a driver accused of injuring dozens of people.
Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested on August 3 in Redondo Beach, a coastal city about 21 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. His arrest comes days after police identified Villarrobos as a suspect in the July 19 shooting.
Early on July 19, vehicles crashed into a packed crowd, leaving behind a Vermont Hollywood nightclub in a busy East Hollywood neighborhood. After crashing, police say bystanders pulled the driver out of the car and attacked him.
During the argument, police said a man later identified as Villa Lobos approached the scene from across the street and shot the driver in the waist once. The suspect then fled the scene on foot and remained for about two weeks.
Villalobos was booked on suspicion of attempted murder without bail, police said in a new statement on August 4th. They did not provide additional details regarding his arrest, but said the case would be filed with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing.
What happened to the car accident in East Hollywood?
Police said a confused scene unfolded around 2am on July 19th as a crowd of customers left Vermont Hollywood. The driver, identified as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was kicked out of the nightclub after returning minutes and plunging the vehicle into the crowd, police and prosecutors said.
Police said the car was stopped after colliding with several food carts. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said 37 people were injured in a crash.
Authorities say the injuries were temporarily locked in “from minor abrasions to serious fractures to tears to broken bones.”
Ramirez was charged with attempted murder of 37 counts and assaulting 37 counts with fatal weapons, Hochman said. He faces multiple sentences for life in state prisons if convicted in all respects.
The arrest continues on a massive search
After the crash, police launched an extensive search for the man suspected of shooting Ramirez. On July 21, investigators sought the help of the public and released surveillance photos from cameras near the venue, showing the suspect wearing a blue Dodgers jacket.
Authorities warned the public that the suspect was armed and considered dangerous, and urged the public to contact police with information that could lead to his arrest.
“We understand the feelings involved, but when the threat ended and the suspect was no longer actively hurting others, the use of lethal force was illegal and dangerous for everyone,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a July 22nd press conference.
On August 1, police said the suspect gunman was identified as Villarrobos, who was believed to be in the Redondo Beach area. He was said to be a Hispanic man with a shaved head, brown eyes, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds.
Police said Villa Lobos has “unique features.” He pointed out that the right forearm surname, including ear surnames and multiple tattoos, the right arm with the phrase “no respect given,” contains the name “Miabella” on the left inner arm.
Los Angeles police said investigators will work with the Redondo Beach Police Department to find Villarobos. Redondo Beach police arrested him around 1:15pm local time on August 3rd, and Los Angeles investigators took the suspect into custody.
