Springdale, ARK – A Springdale man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to charges related to an altercation at a nightclub in December 2023, which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old man.
Juan Frias-Villa, 27, was sentenced on January 9 to five years of supervised probation and fined $500 for his involvement in the incident, in which he was charged with second-degree battery. As part of the sentence, he was also ordered to have no contact with one of the security guards involved in the altercation.
The incident unfolded at Zabana Night Club, where police responded to reports of a shooting. Officers found Luis Ogando-Lopez, 21, with two gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital but later died from his injuries.
An initial investigation revealed that Ogando-Lopez had been kicked out of the nightclub after causing disturbances and being found in possession of a knife. After being escorted from the building, Ogando-Lopez allegedly went to a vehicle, retrieved a firearm, and pointed it at a security guard. In response, the guard shot Ogando-Lopez.
Frias-Villa, who was with Ogando-Lopez during the incident, then got into a vehicle and drove toward a second security guard, striking him with the vehicle. Frias-Villa fled the scene but was later located by detectives. He admitted to hitting the guard with his car and leaving the area without reporting the incident.
The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Commission also took action against the nightclub in May 2024, imposing a $2,000 fine and a six-month probation period for failure to maintain proper safety protocols, including allowing a weapon on the premises.
In addition to his probation, Frias-Villa’s sentence includes the requirement that he have no contact with the security guard he struck with his vehicle.