Bail Set For Man Accused Of Beating Girl, 7

June 10, 2011|Michelle Theriault Boots

Michelle Theriault Boots (KTUU-DT)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The man accused of beating a 7-year-old girl while trying to steal her bicycle was arraigned Friday on charges of robbery and assault.

Judge Catherine Easter set Byron Syvinski’s bail at $50,000 with a required 24-hour third-party custodian at the hearing, held at the Cook Inlet Pre-Trial Facility. Syvinski is also not allowed to return to the neighborhood where the incident took place or have any contact with the victims.

Syvinski, 32, is being charged with first degree robbery, third degree assault as well as a misdemeanor fourth degree assault charge.

The charges stem from an incident on June 5 when Syvinski allegedly tried to steal a teenage boy’s backpack, struck the boy’s father Roberto Delreal and then targeted Am-Marie Martin, who was riding her bicycle near an apartment complex on Eide Street.

According to the police complaint filed, Syvinski, who is 6’4 and weighs about 240 lbs., tried to take the girl’s bike and then punched her in the head, hitting her twice more after she'd fallen unconscious on the ground.

Syvinski was in a state of “excited delirium” at the time of the incident, according to the police report. He spent the next four days in the hospital before being discharged and then arrested by police Thursday.

Syvinski is on probation for a 2009 felony theft conviction. He also has assault, family violence and drug convictions dating back to 2000.

He appeared in court with his arm heavily bandaged with what appeared to be medical pins in it. Police have said that a broken arm became infected and was treated during his hospital stay.

Syvinski said he'd been working at Alaska Tire Services before the incident. He was appointed a lawyer from the Public Defender Agency.

Meanwhile, neighbors and the girl’s mother said they wouldn’t allow Syvinski back in their neighborhood.

Am-Marie Martin’s mother Andrea Dunwoody was upset that she arrived late to the arraignment and wasn’t able to address the court. She was at the hospital with her daughter, who is expected to make a strong recovery.

Dunwoody believes more serious charges are warranted.

Am-Marie was bleeding out of her nose and mouth after the assault, and couldn't see or hear when she arrived at the hosptial.

“That’s attempted murder,” she said. “She could have died.”

Though she's improving, Dunwoody says she fears that she'll suffer from her head injury for a long time, and that might mean no soccer playing or bike riding in the future.

Neighbor Angeline Delreal, whose husband Roberto was also allegedly punched by Syvinski, said she won’t feel safe if he returns to the neighborhood.

“I live right across from him and personally I don’t want him anywhere along my neighborhood,” she said. “I have children – 5 children – and my youngest one is a 1-year-old. I don’t feel safe if he’s right across from me.”

She said Syvinski – who reportedly called police himself several times the day before the incident – was a quiet neighbor for more than five years.

In the past few years, though, she said, she’d heard he’d “had a troubled road.”

But before last Sunday, there was no indication he’d become violent.

“He kept his troubles to himself.”

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