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LISBON – A Lisbon man who assaulted another man with a knife during a dispute was sentenced to 15 days in the county jail after Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam told both men he believes they are both responsible for what happened.
Doy Williams, 36, Hoffee Road, pleaded guilty in August to a misdemeanor assault charge, which was amended from a felonious assault after surveillance footage from a nearby camera was viewed by the prosecutor’s office and Williams’ attorney.
Washam said he also viewed the video prior to the sentencing hearing, and it appeared to him that Ronald Cochran was actually the aggressor in the altercation.
“This was about money,” Washam told the two men in court on Friday, “And that is not how we deal with those type of disputes.” Additionally, Washam told Williams he could not condone the fact that he used a weapon. “Quite frankly, you are lucky he was not more severely injured,” Washam said.
Williams had stabbed Cochran in the abdomen with a knife on Sept. 30, 2014, while the two men fought outside rental property Williams owns on Pritchard Avenue in Lisbon. Williams had hired Cochran to put a new roof on the house and was dissatisfied with the job.
Defense attorney James Lanzo said when Williams refused to pay Cochran for the roofing job, Cochran pulled Williams out of his truck and began choking him.
“I don’t know if I was put in the same situation, if I would do anything different (than what Williams did),” Lanzo said. Lanzo added Williams is not the typical defendant in Washam’s court in that he works hard, has a family he supports and owns rental property.
Cochran was hospitalized due to severe abdominal injuries. He told Washam his year long recovery put him behind on his bills and his child support. He added he just recently had to serve 15 days because he was behind on his child support. He also said he still has nerve damage and it makes it difficult for him to carry shingles anymore.
When Washam asked Cochran if he felt he was in anyway responsible for what happened, Cochran quickly answered “No, sir. All he had to do was pay me. He jumped in (the vehicle), put it in gear and was going to leave… He stabbed me. My guts were hanging out. I thought I was going to die.”
Washam noted the 15-day sentence was the same as Cochran served in his child support case. He further allowed Williams work release and ordered him to make restitution to Cochran for $1,500, money Cochran said Williams owes him for the roofing job. He was placed on three years probation following the jail sentence and part of his probation is to have no contact with Cochran.
Prior to sentencing, Williams said he was “very sorry the whole situation occurred,” adding he also apologized to the victim.