Man Arrested After Accidental Shooting

A Simi Valley man shot his wife in the leg Monday in what authorities ruled an accident, but was arrested for violating his parole for having a gun in his possession, police said.

Rebecca Lemma, 29, underwent surgery at Simi Valley Hospital for the gunshot wound and was in stable condition late Monday, a nursing supervisor said.

Her husband, Joseph Nichols, 28, was booked into County Jail for possession of the firearm, Simi Valley police said. He remained there late Monday on $5,000 bail, a jail spokeswoman said.

Nichols had taken the semiautomatic pistol from a night stand in a bedroom in the couple’s home in the 900 block of Stanford Street about 9:30 a.m. when the weapon accidentally discharged, police said.

The bullet went through a door leading to an adjoining bathroom, where Lemma was taking a shower. It continued through the shower door, striking Lemma in the leg, authorities said.

Nichols broke his parole on earlier drug charges by possessing the gun, authorities said.