North Hollywood Bouncer Sentenced In Ejection Tragedy

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA — An Arleta man who worked as a bouncer at a North Hollywood bar was sentenced this week to 180 days in jail and 240 hours of community service for punching a man who landed in a street, where he was struck and killed by a car.

Ernest Shaun Reyes, 35, was also ordered to serve three years on probation.

Reyes was initially charged with murder in connection with the Dec. 15, 2016, death of Wilfredo Rodriguez, but the murder charge was dismissed as a result of his no contest plea to involuntary manslaughter.

Reyes punched the 47-year-old victim, according to Deputy District Attorney Nathan Bartos.

Rodriguez was intoxicated at the time of the struggle with the bouncer and fell into the street in the 6300 block of Lankershim Boulevard, where he was struck by a dark-colored sedan that did not stop, police said after the man's death.

Jorge McDonald Jr., 33, was later arrested and charged with a felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death in connection with Rodriguez's death. He is due back in a Van Nuys courtroom next week for a pretrial hearing.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock