BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Pavel Eduard Vasilchenko pled guilty in Whatcom County Superior Court to a reduced charge of 1st degree attempted assault and was sentenced to 70 months in custody with credit for time served.
Vasilchenko turned himself over to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on July 13, 2021, after a warrant had been issued for his arrest following a July 11, 2021, stabbing incident in Maple Falls. He was charged with 1st degree attempted murder at the time.
According to a probable cause statement provided by the WCSO and submitted into Whatcom County Superior Court by prosecutors, the stabbing occurred after the victim had been receiving threats and harassment over 48 hours by another man, Donald Siguaw. On July 11, 2021, the victim and his girlfriend were arriving at their Maple Falls residence when Vasilchenko came up to their vehicle and began pounding on a window. The victim got out of the car and Vasilchenko began shoving the victim while continuing the threats and harassment. The victim was then stabbed multiple times by Vasilchenko while trying to run away. The victim’s girlfriend who was armed with a handgun confronted Vasilchenko who then retreated to a neighboring residence.
WCSO deputies were soon after dispatched to Kendall Fire Station due to a report of a stabbing victim being there. The victim had gashes on an arm and shoulder and was transported by ambulance to PeaceHealth St Joseph’s Medical Center.
Vasilchenko had no prior felony criminal history to consider during his sentencing and was given the lowest sentence within Washington state’s standard range for the offense of 70 to 92 months. He was also sentenced to 36 months in community custody and a no contact order with the victim will be in effect for about 10 years.
Siguaw currently is awaiting trial in Whatcom County Superior Court charged with harassment and/or threats to kill and/or do bodily injury and bribing a witness.