Ronnie Taylor, the neighbor who was assaulted by Alan Ritchson in a shocking video, says he has dropped charges against the actor.
Taylor told TMZ that he decided not to press criminal charges because he had no interest in going to court.
“He was running fast through the neighborhood, so I was only interested in the safety of the neighborhood,” he told the outlet.
“He’s a Hollywood superstar and I’m not. He has a lawyer. I didn’t have one either,” she added.
Taylor said she gave up pressing charges after police contacted Ritchson, who also did the same.
Taylor claimed to TMZ that after the charges were dropped, authorities told her the “Reacher” star’s actions were in self-defense.
“The police stood in front of him and told me his bike was enough to claim self-defense,” he explained.
“I never hit the guy. I pushed him. That’s all I did. I think it had to do with self-defense as well,” Taylor added.
He also told the outlet that Taylor left without any compensation.
“A penny doesn’t matter,” he said.
Ritchson did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
On Monday, a video of Ritchson, 43, violently attacking Taylor was released.
The video shows the “Playdate” actor allegedly punching a man multiple times while he was kneeling on the ground last Saturday.
Two boys, believed to be Ritchson’s sons, watched from their bikes while the actor’s bike lay in the road.
Taylor told TMZ at the time that the incident began after Ritchson rode his green Kawasaki motorcycle through the neighborhood, revving the engine loudly.
The next day, when Ritchson rode his motorcycle near Taylor’s house again, Taylor walked out in front of the “Youngville” alumni and I said, “Stop it. Someone’s going to get hurt.”
“Then it escalated quickly from there. He came towards me on his bike and I pushed him,” Taylor told TMZ.
Taylor said Ritchson “got off his bike and kicked the shit out of me.”
“He punched me in the back of the head and I fell to the ground and covered myself,” he claimed.
On Wednesday, Eric Schiffer, chairman of the Los Angeles-based firm Reputation Management Consultants, exclusively told Page Six that the “Fast X” star’s career could receive a boost from the incident.
“This is not the kiss of death, this is not the death knell for Alan’s career,” Schiffer said.
“Dumpings feed the ‘Reacher’ machine because viewers love fighters and hate cowards,” he added.
“This is the same solid authenticity that his brand sells, and a street-level reminder that his tough-guy persona is not for rent.”
