Guerneville man plea bargains in bridge stabbing case

 
The man accused of homicide in a confrontation on the
Guerneville Bridge last summer pleaded guilty to a reduced charge
of voluntary manslaughter last week in Sonoma County Superior
Court.
The plea means 22-year-old Kevin Payne may be eligible for
probation when he goes before Judge Robert LaForge for sentencing
next month.
Payne and his attorney, Public Defender Kathleen Pozzi, entered the
guilty plea last week after the Sonoma County District Attorney’s
office agreed to reduce a first-degree murder charge against
Payne.
The plea bargain came as Payne was in court for a preliminary
hearing on a first-degree murder charge for the stabbing death of
Elijah Lockhart, 31, during a July 6 run-in that started at one end
of the Guerneville pedestrian bridge. The fight ended at the
Guerneville town plaza where a Russian River Fire District
emergency ambulance crew took Lockhart to the Sutter Hospital
emergency room. Lockhart was pronounced dead on the way.
Witnesses said Lockhart had gotten into an argument with several
other people after asking for methamphetamine in the county park at
the south entrance to the old Guerneville Bridge.
Lockhart became combative and Payne joined the group trying to cool
things off, said one witness, who described the killing as
self-defense.
Payne stabbed Lockhart with a knife provided by another defendant,
James Lewis, 35, of Guerneville, according to the sheriff’s
report.
One witness, Alex Shumate, 22, of Guerneville, said Lockhart was
abusive and appeared to be on drugs.
A Sonoma County Coroner’s report last week included toxicology test
results for Lockhart that showed a blood alcohol content of more
than .14.
The tests also indicated Lockhart was under the influence of
marijuana and methadone, according to the report by forensic
pathologist Dr. Kelly Arthur-Kenny.
Payne, who was visiting friends in Guerneville when the fight took
place, remains in custody at Sonoma County Jail. He is scheduled to
appear in court for sentencing Dec. 15.