A KARAOKE and drinking session turned violent because of an apparent misunderstanding.
Fernando E. Galban, 45, has been accused of stabbing another person using a broken glass.
Galban was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.
On Thursday, Galban appeared in the custody of the Department of Corrections before Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan.
The defendant was represented by Assistant Public Defender Karie Comstock who asked the court to release Galban to a third-party custodian.
Judge Bogdan then ordered the defendant to look for a suitable third-party custodian before remanding him to the custody of the Department of Corrections.
Appearing for the government was Assistant Attorney General Coleen St. Clair.
According to Detective Buddy Igitol, on the early evening of Jan. 12, 2021, several individuals were drinking and singing karaoke in a Fina Sisu residence.
Prior to the incident a couple was singing. Seated with them on the couch was Galban. Across from them sat two men who said they noticed that Galban touched the woman on the shoulder as if flirting with her.
When the man finished singing, he got up from his seat and went to the restroom.
One of the two other men then confronted Galban regarding his behavior, and told him to show respect to the woman’s boyfriend.
According to the victim, Galban shoved and kicked him. Galban also grabbed a bottle of wine and struck the victim’s head with it, shattering the bottle.
The other man told police that he saw Galban take the broken wine bottle and stab the victim’s right leg with it while he was still on the ground.
In his written statement to the police, Galban said he merely moved closer to the woman because the volume of the music was loud and he wanted to have a conversation with her.
Galban said because the victim was attacking him verbally and physically, the defendant attempted to hit the victim with a bottle of wine.
But Galban said the bottle of wine slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor. Galban said Marcelo then stepped on the shattered bottle while attempting to get to him.
In his declaration of probable cause to support an issuance of an arrest warrant, Detective Igitiol stated that the victim sustained several lacerations from the altercation. “Injuries were observed on the anterior ankle with visible tendon damage, one laceration on the forearm, bicep, puncture wound in the right anterior ankle with tendon injury, and large laceration on the right lower leg,” Igitol added.
He said the victim is still unable to walk due to his injuries.
