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WAILUKU -- A man who was on probation when he reached into a truck to punch a driver in a Lahaina neighborhood was sentenced Friday to a five-year prison term.
Jestoni Neri, 26, of Lahaina acted because he believed the victim was endangering others by speeding down the neighborhood road, said Deputy Public Defender Tyler Stevenson.
He said Neri decided "to take matters into his own hands, which was the wrong decision."
Second Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo agreed.
"Speeding versus breaking someone's nose is a major reaction to a fairly minor infraction," Loo said in sentencing Neri. "I hate to think what would happen if his stereo is too loud . . .
"You took it too far. No one made you traffic police. No one made you in charge of how to handle it."
Neri had pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of third-degree assault and first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.
The assault occurred June 13, 2018, when the victim went to visit his girlfriend, who lives in the neighborhood.
The truck was in the girlfriend's driveway on Aulike Street when Neri knocked on the window and yelled at the driver about speeding. Then Neri tried to choke the other man and punched him, breaking his nose, according to police.
After at first telling police he didn't do anything, Neri later said he was upset at the other man for driving too fast and felt disrespected so he punched the victim once with his left hand.
"You set up a driveway trap and issued him a false crack to his face," Loo said. "It was way out of proportion to what behavior he did."
Deputy Prosecutor Carson Tani asked Loo to follow a plea agreement calling for the five-year prison term.
Stevenson said Neri had been complying with most requirements of his probation in 2016 and 2017 cases.
"However, there was the big underlying problem -- he was still abusing alcohol and drugs," Stevenson said. "Those substances were definitely clouding his judgment.
"His family still supports him. They do see the redeeming person he is, the Jestoni they know."
Before he was sentenced Friday, Neri asked if his sentencing could be delayed so he could continue working in the kitchen at the jail to earn money before he is transferred to another facility.
"It's interesting that you decided to get a job in jail, but when you were outside, free, you weren't working at all," Judge Loo told Neri.
"Now I'm thinking straight," he said.
Loo said she couldn't see a reason to delay the sentencing.
Neri's probation was revoked in three other cases and he was resentenced to five-year prison terms for two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.
He will serve the prison terms at the same time.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.