South Lake Tahoe men hurt in barroom brawl recovering

Three South Lake Tahoe men pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury in connection with a brawl at My Cousin's Joint which left four men stabbed and one severely beaten.

The condition of Juan Sandoval, 35, the man who was beaten, has improved from "critical" to "fair," which means his vital signs are stable and he's conscious, Washoe Medical Center reported Tuesday. Steven Pagliaro, 29, who underwent surgery for a stomach wound, is in stable condition in Barton Memorial Hospital.

Police arrested six men, three on suspicion of attempted murder and three for assault with a deadly weapon.

Richardo Comacho Hernandez, 26, Ricardo Ortega Llanas, 35, also known as Jose Ortega, and Javier Camacho Hernandez, 34, were booked on suspicion of attempted murder but the charges were reduced to assault with a deadly weapon.

The men arrested for assault were bailed out of jail Thursday. They have not been charged with a crime, El Dorado County Assistant District Attorney Hans Uthe said.

Uthe said the intent wasn't there for murder charges, but if convicted the three men could face time in prison.

"They would be considered strikes, but the sentences would depend on their involvement and their prior records," he said.

A preliminary hearing for all three men is scheduled for July 6 in El Dorado County Superior Court.

Police have no suspects concerning the beating of Sandoval.

"I haven't been able to identify who did it yet," said South Lake Tahoe Police Detective Martin Hewlett. "I'm hoping to get more information later as I investigate."

In April, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control sent Anthony Dana, co-owner of the bar, a letter of warning for alleged violations including loitering, loud music, disturbing the peace and narcotics violations. District Administrator Gerald P. Forsman stated in the letter that any "future similar violations will lead to the filing of a formal accusation against your license."

According to South Lake Tahoe Police records, no arrests related to narcotics have been made at My Cousin's Joint and no citations have been issued to the bar owner for loud music, loitering or disturbing the peace.

"In most incidents there were no reports," said Police Records Supervisor Betty Stone. "In most incidents there were no arrests."

"We've been gathering information, contacting police officers and preparing a legal response to the ABC," said Dana.