Tacoma — The brother of a man who died after being punched while playing pool in a Lakewood bar said he can't understand why it happened. Leo Vasquez fought back tears as he described losing his younger brother Anthony. "Sadness, emptiness to confusion," said Vasquez
Anthony Vasquez, 47 died after he was punched once in the face then collapsed, hitting his head on the floor. Lakewood police said Vasquez was playing pool at Last Call with friends when he accidentally bumped into another patron identified as Robert Ancheta. According to a probable cause affidavit, Ancheta and Vasquez got into an argument before Ancheta punched Vasquez. His brother Leo told KIRO 7 Anthony's best friend was in the bar with him at the time and ran to help him after he hit the floor. "He knew something was wrong right away and he just held him," said Leo Vasquez. Anthony remained in a coma for two days before family members made the decision to remove him from life support. "You want to hang on to him as long as you can. You know you have to let him go so he can go," Leo Vasquez said about that decision.
Ancheta, 31 was charged with murder in the second degree during an appearance in a Pierce County courtroom Tuesday. He entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered held on $1 million bail. Ancheta's attorney told Judge James Orlando his client would argue he threw the punch in self-defense but did not elaborate. Vasquez's brother disputes eyewitness claims that Anthony got into an argument with Ancheta, saying friends with him at the time did not see any exchange between the two before Ancheta threw the fatal punch.
Leo Vasquez described his brother as social and outgoing, someone who always liked to be around friends. He said the two shared a passion for football, particularly the Seattle Seahawks and were looking forward to the upcoming season. "He was so excited about all the moves they were making, said Vasquez, It's going to be weird watching football without him this year."
KIRO
