Man Pleads Not Guilty in Chase, Gunfight

A Van Nuys man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of attempted murder of two off-duty police officers in connection with a car chase and gunfight in Van Nuys.

Manuel Reyes, 25, of Van Nuys, was arraigned Tuesday in Van Nuys Municipal Court on three counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Arraignment for Reyes’ alleged accomplice, Fernando Urias, 23, of Panorama City, was postponed until Thursday. He faces two counts of attempted murder and being an accessory to murder.

Reyes was being held in county jail in lieu of $1.68 million bail. Urias, who allegedly drove the getaway car, was being held in lieu of $1.12 million bail.

According to Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert L. Cohen, Reyes and Urias were leaving a bar in the 15100 block of Raymer Street about 2 a.m. Sunday when for an unknown reason Reyes began shooting a pistol into a crowd that had also just left the bar.

One man in the crowd, Carlos Pineda, 23, was hit in the buttocks by a bullet. Two other men told police that Reyes pointed the gun at them.

Shortly after the shooting began, two off-duty police officers who were driving by in separate vehicles stopped to investigate after hearing the shots. Officer Jack Parker and reserve Officer Debra Fairchild identified themselves and ordered Reyes to drop his weapon.

Instead, Reyes and Urias jumped into their car and drove off, the prosecutor said. The two officers gave chase. At least twice, Urias stopped his car, and Reyes fired shots at the officers, Cohen said. At one location, Parker fired back at the suspects.

The two suspects abandoned their car in the 7700 block of Kester Avenue, where after a brief foot chase, they were captured and arrested, Cohen said.