Man Suspected Of Driving Into Crowd Faces Attempted Murder Charges Today In Alameda County Court

BAY AREA, CA — A man suspected of intentionally driving into a crowd after a popular open air street event is scheduled to appear in court after being charged with attempted murder.

The man, Dameon Denzel Clay, is suspected of plowing into a crowd and injuring seven people, including a child, on May 2.

The victims were on 18th Street following the May Oakland First Fridays, an open air event that often draws large crowds onto sidewalks and streets.

Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said the charges filed against Clay stem from what investigators describe as an intentional vehicle attack.

"This case involves an intentional act of extreme violence in which the defendant drove his car onto a sidewalk, striking multiple victims and causing serious injuries," Jones Dickson said in a news release.

Clay is scheduled to be arraigned today in Department 112 of the Alameda County Superior Court.

Oakland police arrested the man on July 2 with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service after identifying Clay as the suspect in the vehicle attack in the 500 block of 18th Street.

According to investigators, Oakland police received multiple 911 calls at about 1:37 a.m. May 2 reporting that a vehicle had driven onto the sidewalk and struck pedestrians.

Prosecutors allege Clay intentionally accelerated toward a crowd, struck approximately eight people, crashed into a gate, and then fled on foot, leaving the vehicle behind. Several victims suffered serious injuries.

May 2

The incident unfolded shortly after the Oakland First Fridays event had ended. Oakland police emphasized at the time that the violence occurred well after the official conclusion of the event and was not connected to First Fridays.

Officers were already responding to multiple reports of fights near 18th Street and Telegraph Avenue when officers were called to the crash.

As officers arrived, they saw two people running from the area, arrested them, and recovered two firearms, police said. Authorities have not said whether those arrests were connected to the alleged driver.

Seven pedestrians were injured in the attack, including a child. Five adults and one juvenile were taken to a hospital, while another adult was transported separately.

Related: Car Plows Into Crowd Injuring 7, Including A Child After First Fridays Event