Man gets 179 days in Pohoiki stabbing

HILO — A 62-year-old Pahoa man was sentenced Wednesday to time already served for an Oct. 7, 2015, stabbing in Pohoiki.

Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura sentenced Boris Ivanovich Vereshak to 179 days in jail for stabbing 24-year-old Roman Zubkov. He also ordered Vereshak to make $4,709.48 in restitution for Zubkov’s medical expenses.

Vereshak was found guilty of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, after a weeklong jury trial. The jury didn’t convict Vereshak on charges of first- and second-degree assault, which are felonies punishable by, respectively, 10- and five-year prison terms upon conviction.

Vereshak, who has no prior criminal record, spent 190 days in custody in lieu of $5,000 bail. He was given the 179-day sentence, a day less than six months, because of immigration considerations. Vereshak waived the additional time he spent in custody to receive the sentence.

A Russian-language interpreter was provided at the trial and other court hearings.

According to court documents, Vereshak and Zubkov, who are acquainted, were at a social gathering at the Pohoiki Road home of a mutual acquaintance, Vitaly Novikov.

Zubkov reportedly told police Vereshak punched him in the chin after being asked to use a weed-whacker, and a fight ensued. Zubkov and Novikov told police Vereshak produced a knife, and Novikov said Vereshak stabbed Zubkov, documents state.

Police said Zubkov sustained arterial damage to his right bicep and cuts to his left hand and upper left arm.

During his initial appearance on Oct. 12 in Hilo District Court, Vereshak told Judge Andrew Wilson, “They made me drink alcohol, then they robbed me. But there was no crime committed by me.”

After sentencing, Vereshak’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Zachary Wingert said, “We’re pleased with the result of the trial.”

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.