LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The District Attorney’s Office has charged a Cobb man with numerous felony charges for a shooting that occurred after an early Tuesday morning fight at a barbecue.

Hunter Christian Toles, 23, appeared before Judge Andrew Blum in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on the charges Thursday afternoon.

He was arrested early Tuesday after the shooting, which occurred on Rainbow Road in Cobb, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Toles, who has remained in custody since his arrest, appeared via Zoom from the Lake County Jail.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff told the court that Toles has no prior criminal history and that the investigation is ongoing.

Based on the reports so far and speaking to the lead officer in the investigation, Hinchcliff said Toles was at a barbecue where people were drinking and a fight broke out.

Toles is reported to have grabbed a shotgun and fired three shots. One of the shots hit a female victim at close range. Hinchcliff didn’t have a report on her condition. While it wasn’t terminal, “she was shot up pretty good,” he added.

Another shot went through a wall where there was a 3-year-old child sleeping on the other side, Hinchcliff said.

Hinchcliff filed a complaint on Thursday that charged Toles with attempted murder, assault with a firearm and battery causing serious bodily injury for shooting the woman, along with special allegations of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm, personal use of a shotgun and inflicting great bodily injury on the female victim.

Charges also were filed against Toles for another adult victim who was not reported to have been physically injured. For that second victim he’s facing charges of attempted murder and assault with a firearm, and special allegations of personal use of a firearm and personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun. 

For the child victim, he was charged with assault with a firearm and felony child endangerment, and special allegations of use of a firearm and that the crime involved great violence and a firearm, and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.

Blum said during the hearing that Toles is facing the potential of three life sentences if convicted of the charges.

Hinchcliff said several of the charges carried $1 million bail requirements, with $25,000 for the child victim. Altogether, the charges called for bail totaling $3,025,000.

Toles said he could not afford an attorney and asked for one to be assigned. Defense attorney Tom Quinn agreed to take the case and asked for it to be set for entry of a plea on Tuesday.

Toles wanted to speak about his case but Quinn told him not to say anything.

“The defendant is claiming self-defense,” Hinchcliff said.

The mother of Toles’ two young children asked Blum to reduce his bail or release him on his own recognizance. Quinn said no one would get such a release on a case like this one.

She told the court the charges filed against him were different from those on his online jail booking sheet.

“The sheriff doesn’t make charges. They arrest people,” said Blum.

Quinn said they might be able to get the bail reduced to $100,000 but couldn’t do that in the Thursday hearing. Toles’ partner said she had money to hire an attorney the same day.

Blum set Toles’ bail at $3,025,000 and ordered him to be present for plea entry in Department 3 at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 14.

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