Maui man gets probation in baseball bat attack on roommate

WAILUKU >> A Maui man convicted of attacking his roommate with a baseball bat has been sentenced to four years of probation and 200 hours of community service.

Charles Ribbel was sentenced last week after pleading no contest to charges of burglary, assault, terroristic threatening and bail jumping, The Maui News reported.

The 39-year-old Kihei man had argued with his roommate over rent in June, deputy prosecutor Jeffery Temas said. The roommate retreated to his bedroom, and Ribbel later entered with a Louisville Slugger.

Ribbel used the bat to smash the roommate’s property, and the man told authorities Ribbel also used it on him.

The roommate then pulled out a knife and sliced at Ribbel in self-defense, Temas said.

The knife left Ribbel with a 4-inch scar on his face, deputy public defender Ben Lowenthal said.

Ribbel claimed he did not strike his roommate with the bat.

“I hit his TV with the bat, and I think I smashed his computer with the bat,” Ribbel told the court. “But I never hit him with the bat.”

Judge Rhonda Loo pointed to the police report, noting the victim went to the hospital claiming he was smacked on his toes, knees, forearm and right shoulder. The report also indicated there was blood on the bat.

“This is one of those cases of roommates gone wrong,” Loo told Ribbel during sentencing. “Your bad behavior made this bad situation even worse.”

Ribbel decided to enter the no-contest plea so he could provide for his family after spending more than two months in jail, the public defender said.

“With a Louisville Slugger, you’re a South Kihei swinger and you basically struck out here,” Loo told Ribbel. “You struck him four different times. Three strikes and you were definitely out on this case.”

Ribbel was also ordered to complete anger management classes and to write an apology letter to the victim.