Mexican soap opera star, who delivered a 'deadly punch' to 63-year-old man during a road rage incident in Miami, is charged with manslaughter
- Mexican actor Pablo Lyle was charged with manslaughter in a Miami court one month after punched a 63-year-old man who later died at a hospital
- The 32-year-old soap opera star hit Juan Ricardo Hernández in a road rage confrontation on March 31
- Lyle remains under house arrest in Miami
- Hernández approached Lyle's SUV after he cut him off on Dolphin Expressway
- Hernández reportedly hit the SUV's window before the driver, Lyle's brother-in-law, stepped out to confront him
- The SUV started to roll down the street and the driver rushed back inside, while Lyle was captured on video getting out and attacking Hernández
- Hernández fell to the pavement after the punch, suffering a fracture to the right side of the skull and internal bleeding
- Hernández was declared dead on April 4 after his family gave doctors the order to have his life support turned off at Jackson Memorial Hospital
The Mexican soap opera actor, who appeared on a CCTV video knocking out a 63-year-old man in Miami before he died, was charged with manslaughter on Wednesday.
Pablo Lyle appeared at his arraignment before 11th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Alan Fine and pleaded not guilty.
The 32-year-old star will continue to be held under house arrest in Miami.
Prosecutors say Lyle punched 63-year-old Juan Ricardo Hernández in a road rage confrontation on March 31.
On Wednesday, Mexican actor Pablo Lyle (pictured with his wife, Ana Araujo) was charged with manslaughter in a Miami court, one month after he was seen on a video delivering a punch to a 63-year-old man who later died in hospital
Juan Ricardo Hernández (pictured) suffered a fractured skull and internal bleeding, and was pronounced dead on April 4 after he was taken off life support
A security surveillance camera showed Lyle squaring off with Hernández in the middle of a street as traffic came to a halt before he struck him, sending him crashing to the pavement.
Lyle left the scene but police were able to track him down to Miami International Airport.
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After dropping off his family at the airport, Lyle and his brother-in-law turned themselves in.
According to police, Lyle admitted to investigators he attacked Hernández out of fear for his family because he sensed the victim would hit him first.
Defense attorney Philip Reizenstein reiterated his client's stance on Wednesday.
He berated prosecutors for filing charges without interviewing Lyle's wife and brother-in-law, who were in the car.
Still image from a surveillance camera shows the moment the 63-year-old victim (pictured in white t-shirt) confronts the SUV driver at a traffic light
As the SUV driver (left) goes back to his vehicle, while Pablo Lyle (second from right) and Juan Ricardo Hernández (right) squared off
'The state attorney's office filed charges without speaking to the driver, his brother-in-law, who was the person who was first assaulted by the aggressor in this case,' Reizenstein said. 'I find that incomprehensible. Why don't they want to hear from people who saw what happened?'
According to Lyle's account in the arrest affidavit, Hernández got out of his car at a stoplight to protest Lyle's brother-in-law cutting him off in traffic. Authorities did not release the name of his brother-in-law.
The affidavit says Hernández walked up to the driver's side window, pounded on it with an open hand and Lyle's brother-in-law got out and said, 'Don't bang on my window.'
Mexican soap opera star Pablo Lyle (pictured) appeared on a CCTV video punching a 63-year old Juan Ricardo Hernández during a traffic dispute Sunday on March 31
Once the brother-in-law saw his car rolling toward the intersection, he ran back to it and stopped it. The brother-in-law told detectives he didn't see the physical confrontation.
But a video appears to show Lyle jump out of the car and run nine steps back to Hernández, who is almost to the open door of his car. Hernández turns to face Lyle and takes a punch in the head before collapsing.
The 32-year-old star will continue under house arrest in Miami
The actor traveled back to Mexico after his first arrest on battery charges but then returned to Miami, because he was summoned to court after Hernandez died in the hospital.
Lyle starred in the soap opera "Mi Adorable Maldición," Spanish for "My Lovely Curse."
He was a rising star in Mexico, appearing earlier this year in a movie that was successful in the country's box office.
Lyle was set to start filming his second film the week he was arrested but was fired from the movie project after his legal troubles.
On Wednesday, assistant state attorney Genevieve Valle tried to raise Lyle's bond set last month at $50,000, but the judge decided the circumstances have not changed.
Lyle's defense attorneys said they will review his bond conditions soon to release him from house arrest. Reizenstein clarified he was here on a tourist visa making it hard to show community ties, a standard condition to release a defendant on bond.
If convicted of manslaughter, Lyle could face up to 15 years in prison.
