Man charged with shooting girlfriend goes on trial

A Lansford man, charged with shooting his girlfriend three times and then turning the gun on himself in a botched suicide attempt, went on trial Monday in Carbon County court.

Levi Daniel Zagata, 40, formerly of 439 W. Patterson St., is facing charges of criminal attempt homicide, two counts of aggravated assault and terroristic threats. The homicide and assault counts are felonies.

Zagata is charged for an incident on Feb. 22, 2014, at his then West Patterson Street home. He is charged with shooting his then girlfriend, Melissa Price, 40, three times.

Zagata then shot himself in the face, causing serious injures to his jaw and left eye. He was hospitalized for an extended period of time in a Philadelphia area hospital. Upon his release he returned home and was formally charged. He then fled the area before he could be arraigned. On May 20, 2015, Lansford police were informed that Zagata had been taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies in Accomack County, Virginia. He was returned to Carbon County after an extradition hearing.

The initial police report by then Sgt. Jack Soberick, now chief of police, indicated Zagata and Price had been bickering during the day. Then in the evening after Price had put her four children to bed, she entered the bedroom where Zagata was lying on the bed. He then opened fire and shot her three times, causing life-threatening injuries, according to police. Zagata then shot himself.

One of the children heard the gunshots and ran to a neighbor who called police. Zagata also later called police.

Soberick, with officers Jeff Ohl and Todd Woodward, entered the home and found Zagata with a pillow clutched to his face and bleeding profusely from a single gunshot wound.

Soberick then went upstairs and found Price lying on the floor of a bedroom conscious but suffering apparent serious gunshot wounds to the torso, including near the center of her chest. Soberick also found a Kel-Tec brand 9 mm pistol on the floor near the bed.

Price and Zagata were taken to St. Luke’s Miners Campus in Coaldale but both were later flown to trauma centers. Price was taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest, and Zagata to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

The case has been continued at least 18 times, mostly by the defense. The September 2017 scheduled trial was continued because Zagata was suffering headaches from medication he was taking and then in January, the trial date was continued because Zagata was recovering from jaw surgery.

The trial, being held before Judge Joseph J. Matika, is expected to continue the rest of the week.

Attorney Gary F. Dobias, formerly district attorney who retired a few years ago and is now an assistant district attorney, is prosecuting the case for the commonwealth. Attorney Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, is representing Zagata.