Former bar owner faces charges in bartender’s death

The former owner of a bar faces charges in the death of a bartender.

Christopher Rodriguez faces charges of second-degree assault and manslaughter in the death of Claudio Baca.

Police said Rodriguez ordered the bar’s bouncer, Michael Reed, to punch Baca outside of the bar on Aug. 31, 2014. Surveillance video captured Rodriguez giving Reed an order to punch Baca. The video then shows Reed punching Baca in the face, knocking him unconscious. He does not wake up. According to an arrest affidavit, “After Michael Reed punches Claudio he walks over and fist bumps the other bartender and retrieves his items.”

Baca’s death prompted Rodriguez to voluntarily surrender his liquor license for Sharky’s Bar in May.

Tenth Judicial District Attorney Jeff Chostner told KRDO NewsChannel 13 in May that charges were not going to be filed against Reed and Rodriguez, but he had the case revisited after Rodriguez made several admissions to the Pueblo Liquor and Licensing Board in a signed stipulation when he surrendered his license.

Rodriguez admitted that on Aug. 31, 2014, he gave Reed a cut-throat action to strike Baca.

Afterward, Reed and Rodriguez drove Baca to his mother’s house. According to the stipulation, Rodriguez admitted that he never contacted the police department, called for emergency medical personnel or rendered medical aid.

Baca’s autopsy report stated the cause of death was blunt force trauma of the head. A significant contributing factor was mixed drug intoxication. The pathologist told police that “Baca could have survived the injuries, if he had received immediate and appropriate medical care,” according to Rodriguez’s arrest affidavit.

Earlier in the day, police said Rodriguez consumed several alcoholic drinks and became confrontational with customers and employees. At one point, police said Baca pulled out a knife and began swinging it around in a menacing manner inside the bar.

Police are looking for Reed, who authorities say is in Kansas.