WAREHAM, MA — A Fairhaven man was arraigned today on charges that he shot and killed another man, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Mattapoisett Police Chief Jason King have announced.
Nicholas Bottella, 33, was held without bail following his arraignment in Wareham District Court.
Bottella pleaded not guilty to one count each of first-degree murder, discharge of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, carrying a loaded firearm, trespass, failure to stop for police, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, failure to stop/yield and a marked lanes violation.
On June 30, Mattapoisett Police received reports of a shooting at a residence that had occurred at about 3 p.m. on Harbor Road.
The victim, identified as James Rizza, 57, of Mattapoisett, was found severely injured on his driveway by Mattapoisett Police before being transported to an area hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.
Life-saving measures were attempted prior to Rizza being pronounced dead at about 3:40 p.m.
A witness who initially alerted law enforcement of the shooting told 911 that a man with a red vehicle was involved in the incident.
Responding officers observed a red vehicle matching the initial description provided to dispatchers at a nearby intersection and attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop.
The driver of the red sedan, later identified as Bottella, refused to stop and led law enforcement on a motor vehicle pursuit that ended near Front Street in Marion when the vehicle was boxed in by Mattapoisett Police cruisers.
Bottella was placed under arrest and a passenger in his vehicle was taken to the Mattapoisett Police Department for questioning.
Through further investigation, investigators with Massachusetts State Police and local law enforcement determined Bottella was involved in a neighborly dispute with Rizza about a year prior to the fatal shooting.
Bottella is scheduled to next appear in court on July 31 for a probable cause hearing.
