Executive Summary
- Vincenzo Panetta was sentenced to 3.5 to 7 years in prison for accomplice to negligent homicide.
- The conviction stems from the 2023 death of Zachary Colbroth, who fell from a Portsmouth parking garage while fleeing.
- The judge denied a defense request for bail pending appeal, ordering Panetta to begin his sentence immediately.
- Co-defendant Andrew Lucas awaits trial and faces potential bail revocation due to a separate alleged assault.
A Rockingham County Superior Court judge has sentenced Vincenzo Panetta to three-and-a-half to seven years in state prison following his conviction as an accomplice to negligent homicide in the August 2023 death of Zachary Colbroth. The sentencing concludes a high-profile case involving a confrontation in Portsmouth that ended in a fatal fall from a municipal parking garage.
In addition to the prison term, Panetta, 26, was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victim’s family. The jury also found him guilty of attempted simple assault, for which he received a 12-month sentence to the House of Corrections that was suspended. The judge imposed the maximum sentence allowed by law for the homicide charge, rejecting defense pleas for leniency based on the defendant’s lack of prior criminal history.
According to prosecutors and police reports, the incident originated as a confrontation at the Portsmouth Gas Light Company between Colbroth, Panetta, and a co-defendant, Andrew Lucas. Witness video presented in court reportedly showed Panetta and Lucas assaulting Colbroth on the ground outside the nearby Hanover Parking Garage. Investigators stated that the two men followed Colbroth into the garage, where the victim attempted to climb a railing to escape, subsequently falling to the sidewalk below. Colbroth, 28, later died from his injuries at a hospital.
During the sentencing hearing, statements from the victim’s family highlighted the lasting impact of the tragedy. Stephanie Jones, Colbroth’s mother, told the court she never had the opportunity to say goodbye to her son. Steve Colbroth, the victim’s father, asserted that the death was not merely an accident, stating, "He was viciously attacked, and he died running for his life. He didn’t want to fight; he kept trying to get away." Panetta addressed the court and the family, offering an apology and acknowledging the pain caused by the event.
Defense attorneys argued that while the outcome was tragic, there was no evidence Panetta intended for Colbroth to die or played a direct physical role in his fall from the railing. They characterized the case as "unique" and requested that Panetta remain free on bail pending an appeal. The judge denied this request, ruling that the presumption of liberty changes once a sentence is handed down, and remanded Panetta to custody.
Judicial Proceedings and Co-Defendant Status
The imposition of the maximum sentence in this case underscores the court’s strict interpretation of accomplice liability, particularly when an unlawful pursuit leads to a fatality. By denying bail pending appeal, the court has signaled a prioritization of immediate accountability over procedural delays in cases involving loss of life. Attention now shifts to the remaining defendant, Andrew Lucas, who is scheduled for trial later this year. State prosecutors have recently moved to revoke Lucas’s bail citing an alleged assault in an unrelated matter, and have opposed his request to relocate to Florida. It is important to note that Andrew Lucas is presumed innocent of all charges until proven guilty in a court of law.
