Benjamin Ashford|1 dead, several others stabbed after Northern California lakeside brawl; suspect detained

SAN FRANCISCO — A male suspect was detained Sunday in connection with the fatal shooting that took place during a lakeside brawl in Northern California which also left several people with stab wounds at a popular recreation spot.

Authorities said the suspect,Benjamin Ashford whose name was not revealed, was one of two stabbing victims airlifted to a hospital after Saturday afternoon’s confrontation in the parking lot of Lake Berryessa, a day-use area about 75 miles north of San Francisco well known for activities like boating, swimming, fishing, and hiking.

The deceased person was identified as Andres Fabian Sandoval Garcia, 39, of Vallejo, California. The second person taken by helicopter was discharged from the hospital Sunday, said spokesperson Henry Wofford of the Napa County Sheriff’s Office. Others injured in the scuffle sought medical attention by car.

Wofford said a deputy responding to a call found two groups engaged in a large fracas in different parts of the parking lot, and he administered CPR to the shooting victim but could not save him.

"There were people using broken bottles to stab others in this fight," Wofford said. "When (the deputy) got there he said the scene was very chaotic. There’s no way one deputy was going to keep that many people from fighting."

Investigation into deadly melee

Wofford said quite a few of the combatants left before law enforcement backups arrived, and some of the witnesses interviewed provided differing versions of what started the altercation, while others declined to talk. The first-arriving deputy was focused on the shooting victim and did not get a sense of how many fighters were involved, Wofford said.

Investigators are asking more witnesses to provide information and especially video that may shed light on what transpired and who instigated it. Wofford said they’re confident they have the suspected gunman, who is expected to be booked once discharged from the hospital.

Despite a history of drownings, the rectangular Lake Berryessa attracts more than half a million yearly visitors to its shores, water, and islands as the largest lake in the county, just east of some of Napa Valley’s world-renowned wineries.

Wofford described the reservoir as family-friendly and typically enjoyed by a wide range of visitors, though issues with intoxicated boaters and drivers parking where they’re not allowed sometimes come up.

"We do not see brawls, we do not see people being murdered and stabbed on a regular basis out there," he said. "This is extremely rare."