LAKEPORT, Calif. — The man authorities said is responsible for a murder in Lakeport’s Library Park on Friday night has made his first court appearance in the case.
Joshua Jacob Tovar, 33, of Lakeport was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon in Lake County Superior Court, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson.
Tovar was arrested Sunday morning for the killing of 32-year-old Vicente Zeta Colacion, also of Lakeport.
Colacion was found unconscious near the seawall in Library Park shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday. He died at the scene a short time later.
The District Attorney’s Office’s filing against Tovar includes four felony charges: homicide, assault with a firearm, in this case, a handgun; felon in possession of a firearm; and felon in possession of ammunition.
Along with those four main charges are seven special allegations: five for personal and intentional use of a firearm, one for inflicting great bodily injury and the last which outlined the crime’s numerous aggravating factors, including its violence, Tovar being armed and the way it was carried out, indicating it involved planning.
The criminal filing also stated that Tovar has served a prior prison term, and that his previous performance on probation and post release community supervision was “unsatisfactory.”
Tovar’s prior convictions outlined in the complaint document include two each in San Joaquin and Lake counties.
The San Joaquin County felonies, both from October 2012, were for Tovar — while a California Youth Authority inmate — assaulting a person who was not an inmate, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The Lake County felony convictions include a November 2016 conviction for carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and an August 2018 conviction for felony battery on a police officer by gassing, which involves throwing bodily waste on a peace officer.
Along with the homicide case, the District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday filed a second complaint against Tovar, alleging three felonies: possession of a controlled substance with two prior convictions, possession of methamphetamine with two priors and a felon in possession of ammunition, with four priors.
Authorities have so far offered few details of what led to the shooting, but have tied it to a fight earlier in the evening at a downtown bar between Colacion and Parker John Coggins, 27, of Lakeport.
Coggins, who was taken into custody early Saturday, also has a lengthy criminal record. He is being held at the Lake County Jail and was also scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday. His booking sheet shows him as being charged with assault with a deadly weapon that’s not a firearm and a probation violation.
Friends say Colacion was a creative man who wrote poetry and also was a visual artist.
A candlelight vigil for Colacion will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the gazebo in Library Park.
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Man charged with Library Park killing makes court appearance
- Elizabeth Larson
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