Lebanon police have charged 23-year-old Anthony Canales, a Lebanon resident, in connection with a July 23 early morning shooting that put a 20-year-old man in a local hospital’s intensive care unit.

Police say Canales and Richard Espaillat, also of Lebanon, “were playing with a loaded gun” at 708 Walnut Street when an argument broke out.

Canales told police he was intoxicated and fired the gun at Espaillat, striking him in the head.

Lebanon Police Chief Todd Breiner said that Canales also admitted that he and Espaillat “engaged in the illegal sales of Marijuana.”

Espaillat was initially said to be in critical condition. No update was given.

Canales is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and criminal conspiracy. If convicted, the charges could land him in state prison.

He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Carl Garver and remains at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 bail.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 5 before MDJ Maria Dissinger.

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Chris Coyle writes primarily on government, the courts, and business. He retired as an attorney at the end of 2018, after concentrating for nearly four decades on civil and criminal litigation and trials. A career highlight was successfully defending a retired Pennsylvania state trooper who was accused,...