A Los Angeles judge has ruled that the Orange County man accused of steering his car into a crowd outside a Hollywood nightclub last summer will face trial, following a two-day preliminary hearing. The July 19, 2025, crash near the Vermont Hollywood in East Hollywood injured more than 30 people, leaving several with serious fractures and other lasting injuries. The defendant, Fernando Ramirez, remains behind bars on roughly $37 million bail and is scheduled to return to court for arraignment on April 7, 2026.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen found there was enough evidence to move the case forward after about a day and a half of testimony, according to MyNewsLA. Prosecutors told the court that Ramirez is charged with 45 counts of attempted murder and 39 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, while four other counts were dismissed after prosecutors offered no evidence on them. The district attorney has characterized the driving as intentional, alleging Ramirez drove onto the sidewalk and “aimed it at a whole sea of pedestrians.”
Prosecutors first filed a 74-count complaint in July 2025 that listed 37 counts of attempted murder and 37 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count for each reported victim, according to a July 22, 2025, news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. That initial filing stated that 37 people were hurt and warned that Ramirez could face multiple life terms if convicted. At the time, the office described the incident as a deliberate and destructive act that caused “unimaginable harm” to bystanders.
Surveillance and bystander video that later spread online showed a compact sedan slamming into people waiting outside the venue, knocking several onto the hood before the car crashed into food carts and other street fixtures, according to the Los Angeles Times. Police said Ramirez had been kicked out of the Vermont Hollywood earlier in the night, then returned in a car around 2 a.m. and drove onto the sidewalk. Several victims were briefly trapped underneath the vehicle. The video and witness accounts sparked an intensive LAPD investigation and heavy media attention.
Victims' testimony and aftermath
Roughly 10 people who were hit in the crash took the stand at the hearing to describe ongoing physical and emotional fallout. Vendor Nicolas Suarez testified that he was trapped beneath the vehicle and remains unable to work because of a fractured foot. Maria Luisa Medrano and other witnesses told the court they still struggle with pain and anxiety when crossing streets, while Jessica Castanon said “the last thing I remember is the headlights coming towards me” before she was struck and then missed months of work. Khambrell Gomez, security director for the nightclub, testified that he saw a car “that just seemed to come out of nowhere” and that it “flew into everybody,” according to MyNewsLA.
Legal next steps
Ramirez remains jailed instead of the roughly $37 million bail and faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted on the charges prosecutors are now pursuing. The man accused of shooting Ramirez after he was pulled from the vehicle, Efrain Villalobos, was arrested in August 2025 and is charged with one count of assault with a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to AP News. Ramirez is due back in court for arraignment on April 7, when prosecutors are expected to file formal pleadings, and the judge will set pretrial deadlines.
What officials say and what to watch
District Attorney Nathan Hochman has described the alleged conduct in the case as brazen and destructive, calling for a careful prosecution and continued focus on the victims’ recovery, according to the July 2025 news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. With the preliminary hearing complete, the case now moves into the discovery phase, where both sides will exchange evidence, file motions, and potentially seek amendments to the charges as they refine their arguments on intent and injuries. Court calendars and filings in the coming months will shape how and when this high-profile Hollywood crash case ultimately reaches a jury.
