Telenovela star formally charged with manslaughter in road rage death

Juan Ricardo Hernandez died days after being punched by Pablo Lyle

MIAMI – Telenovela star Pablo Lyle appeared in court Wednesday for his arraignment, where he was formally charged with manslaughter in a road rage incident that led to the death of 63-year-old Juan Ricardo Hernandez.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

"The case is going to be set for trial. Mr. Lehr (defense attorney) and I are going to engage in discovery and we look forward to his day in court," Lyle's attorney, Phil Reizenstein, said after the hearing.  

Prosecutors had said last month that they were considering charging Lyle, 32, with second-degree murder and asked that he be held in lieu of a $1 million bond.

His attorneys argued that their client couldn't afford that steep bond and said he is a good man who has been cooperative in the investigation and willingly traveled back to Miami from Mexico to face the charge against him.

A Miami-Dade County judge ultimately set Lyle's bond at $50,000 and ordered he be placed on house arrest and fitted with a GPS monitor.

The judge kept Lyle's bond at $50,000 Wednesday and said the actor will remain on house arrest at this time.

Surveillance video captured the March 31 road rage incident at Northwest 27th Avenue and Northwest 14th Street.

According to authorities, Lyle was in the passenger seat of a red SUV heading to Miami International Airport when the SUV appeared to cut off a blue car driven by Hernandez. 

Hernandez, apparently upset, gets out his car at the red light and approaches the driver in the video.

The driver gets out and the pair exchange words as the SUV rolls toward the intersection, the video shows.

The driver dashes back to catch the car when the actor appears to get out of the passenger seat, go toward Hernandez and throw a punch that knocks the man out of frame onto the street, the video shows.

Lyle then gets back in his car, which is full of family members, and the driver makes a U-turn and they leave the scene.

Lyle's attorneys claim the surveillance video has been sped up. 

Hernandez, who suffered a head injury, was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

A witness who snapped a picture of the license plate helped lead police to the airport, where Lyle and the driver surrendered, authorities said.

The driver has not been arrested in the case. 

According to authorities, Lyle claims he threw the punch because he was scared for his family's safety after Hernandez approached their vehicle and pounded on the window.
 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.