SAN BERNARDINO >> A man connected to the fatal shooting of a tattoo artist in March was arrested in Denver last week.
Nicolas Lawrence, 18, was arrested Thursday in Denver and has since pleaded not guilty to murder and assault with a firearm charges, according to San Bernardino County court records.
He and Kevin Anthony Jones, 20, are accused of the fatal shooting of tattoo artist Mark Anthony Garcia on March 21 at a Valero gas station at 40th Street and Kendall Drive.
Jones, of San Bernardino, was arrested in the 200 block of W. Eighth Street the day following the afternoon shooting.
Lawrence pleaded not guilty Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court and is scheduled to be back in court on July 20.
On March 21, Garcia, 27, was waiting in a friend’s car at the gas station, according to police officials. He then reportedly got into an argument with two men refueling at a nearby pump.
“As the victims drove out of the gas station, one of the (other men) fired several shots at the victims and their vehicle,” police said.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Garcia was hit at least once. The driver was not injured.
He took Garcia to a nearby fire station, after stopping at a house on the way. Firefighters tended to Garcia and drove him in an ambulance to a hospital where he died. It’s unclear why the driver stopped before heading to the fire station.
Lawrence is scheduled to be back in court on July 20.