A 26-year-old Pillager man Thursday received a three-year stay of imposition for the assault of a 22-year-old Pine River man on March 18 in the parking lot of Zorbaz on Gull in Lake Shore.
William R. Kassulker was sentenced in Cass County District Court by judge Paul T. Benshoof. Kassulker, who also was sentenced to 30 days in Cass County Jail, received 13 conditions of his supervised probation that include having a chemical dependency evaluation/treatment, having an anger assessment, not having any alcohol or controlled substance, not entering a bar or liquor store establishment, no contact with the victims, conduct cognitive skill training and remain law-abiding.
Kassulker was initially charged with first- and third-degree felony assault, but the first-degree charge was dismissed. Kassulker entered into a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to the third-degree assault charge in late October. At the October hearing, Cass County Attorney Christopher Strandlie recommended to the judge at the time of sentencing to be five years of supervised probation and 30 days of probationary jail time, which is consistent with the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines.
Kassulker was accused of assaulting Adam C. Stonacek, 22, Pine River, in the parking lot at Zorbaz on Gull in Lake Shore, just off Cass County Road 77 at about 1:30 a.m. March 18. Stonacek was first transported to Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd before being airlifted to St. Cloud.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Kassulker, a member of the Brainerd Lakes Fight Mafia, he was at Zorbaz with several friends when he became unruly and was escorted out of the bar by security. Security members watched the parking lot to ensure he actually left the property. Kassulker walked up to one of the security members and stated that his ex-girlfriend was talking with another guy and he wanted to “go kick the guy’s [filtered word].”
Later, Kassulker knocked or pushed Stonacek to the ground. Stonacek then got up and swung at Kassulker but missed him completely. Kassulker then punched him in the face with sufficient force to knock him to the ground with one blow. Stonacek went down and hit his head on the concrete.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl.
