Driver in big chase is arrested again
Man who led wild pursuit April 7 is accused of hit- and- run while out on bail.
The Ford Mustang driver and burglary suspect who captivated Los Angeles County last month with a car chase that featured spinning doughnuts on Hollywood Boulevard and the throwing of fast food at a TMZ tour bus has been arrested again.
This time, Herschel Reynolds is accused of hitting a man with his Suzuki GSXR motorcycle in Westwood and speeding off. He’s also accused of trying to grab the man’s cellphone after he called 911.
UCLA police booked Reynolds on Saturday, about two weeks after they first issued an alert to be on the lookout for the 20- yearold. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Reynolds with assault with a deadly weapon and hit- and- run causing injuries.
Unlike the rented convertible that Reynolds had driven in his April 7 pursuit, the former tactical vehicle driver for the Marines was riding a white 2005 or 2006 motorcycle with red paper plates from Del Amo Motorsports, UCLA police said.
Reynolds was riding east on Strathmore Drive near Charles E. Young Drive West on April 16 when his motorcycle struck the rear bumper of a sport utility vehicle, UCLA police said.
The driver got out of the SUV and called 911, according to police.
Reynolds responded by first trying to grab the man’s phone and then by striking him with his motorcycle and knocking him to the ground, police said.
The motorcyclist rode away before police could talk to him. Two weeks later, police were able to identify the motorcyclist as the same man seen driving around Los Angeles County in the televised chase.
At the time of the hitand- run, Reynolds was free on bail in connection with the early April escapade.
Reynolds and a friend, Isaiah Dewayne Young, 19, were believed to have bur- glarized a home in Cerritos when they led police and news helicopters on the wild chase to Hollywood, where they nearly struck a TMZ tour bus on rain- slicked streets. Moments later, Young appeared to toss a fast- food bag at the tour bus.
The pursuit ended in a South L. A. neighborhood, where a crowd of spectators welcomed the pair with celebratory hugs, selfies and high- fives.
Reynolds and Young waited there for sheriff ’ s deputies, who took the men into custody.
The pair were charged with two counts of hit- andrun driving resulting in property damage and one count each of f irst- degree residential burglary and f leeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly.
Reynolds had been scheduled to appear in court May 10 for those charges. If he is convicted, he faces up to six years and eight months in prison.
veronica. rocha @ latimes. com Twitter: @ VeronicaRochaLA