Man, 27, pleads not guilty in fatal Lemon Grove shooting

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The man accused of fatally shooting a 21-year-old and wounding another in Lemon Grove last weekend pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday.

Joshua Gonzalez, 27, was arrested Sunday on charges in connection to the death of Diego Omar Valera-Trujillo, a 21-year-old from Spring Valley, the day prior. Another unidentified individual was also wounded by gunshots in the incident.

The judge presiding over his arraignment Wednesday denied his request for bail over concerns raised by prosecutors that he would flee to another country if released.

Deputy district attorney Chris Chandler said hours after the shooting, Gonzalez drove his car to Mexico in an apparent effort to relocate. He later drove back, rented a U-Haul truck and began moving out of his home when he was located by police, Chandler said.

“The court finds clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s charge of criminal offense, there’s no less restrictive conditions or combinations of conditions that could reasonably protect the safety of the public or the victim,” Judge Peter Lynch said during Gonzalez’s arraignment.

The shooting occurred just after 11:30 p.m. Saturday in the 3100 block of School Lane. San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to scene after receiving reports of gunshots. Responding deputies later discovered Valera-Trujillo suffering from multiple bullet wounds.

According to Chandler, Valera-Trujillo had been at a skate park in the area with a group of friends when a woman ran towards them from a car in the parking lot and asked for their help to get to safety. She had been visibly assaulted prior to approaching, the prosecutor added.

The group then separated the woman from the driver of the car, identified as Gonzalez, leading to the argument that escalated into the fatal shooting, Chandler said.

Two people were shot, Valera-Trujillo and a bystander, according to the prosecutor. Gonzalez was arrested after he was found in the U-Haul near his Lincoln Avenue home on Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

Gonzalez will be back in court on Oct. 16 for a readiness hearing after Wednesday’s arraignment, while a preliminary examination will be held in November.

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