Suspect arrested in possible anti-Semitic assault with car in Fairfax district

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 32-year-old man is in custody for a possible hate crime assault after police and witnesses say he was heard making anti-Semitic remarks after he tried to run over two people near a synagogue in the Fairfax district.

Mohamed Mohamed, 32, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, his vehicle.

Police and witnesses say Mohamed tried to run over two people on the sidewalk near a synagogue in a largely Jewish neighborhood near La Brea and Oakwood avenues Friday night.

He missed the pedestrians and then turned around to hit them again, a witness said. He missed the second time and then took off, smashing into another vehicle and totaling both cars near Oakwood and Highland avenues.

Witnesses say the suspect got out of his car, approached the people in the other vehicle and yelled derogatory remarks about their religion.

Mohamed was being held on $55,000 bail.

Police are still investigating whether to treat the incident as a hate crime, potentially adding enhancements to the charges.