Alexie Kapotak Jr., 21, made an initial court appearance Wednesday at the Anchorage Correctional Complex on assault charges stemming from an attack on two women and a toddler.
Kapotak is accused of slamming the child's head against the ground. His girlfriend told officers Kapotak became violent because he believed she invited men over while he was out alone celebrating his birthday.
The state asked for and was granted a $10,000 cash performance bond. That's in addition to $250,000 bail set before the hearing. One of the victims requested in court that Kapotak's bail be increased.
Kapotak answered the judge's questions with "Yes, ma'am." After glancing at the alleged female victims sitting the courtroom, he placed his left hand on his forehead and blocked them from his view.
He faces three counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault.
Assistant District Attorney Kevin Bergt said Kapotak was a threat to the community.
Father trying to stay calm
Police reported Tuesday the child's injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
Daniel Demientieff Sr., the child's father, said his son remains in critical condition but is doing better.
"My son is a lot better than he was," Demientieff said. "They gave him some blood. I'm trying to stay calm, but it's really hard."
Fighting back tears, Demientieff said he believes Kapotak deserves life in prison.
First-degree assault carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; second-degree assault carries a maximum of 10 years. The amount of time Kapotak could receive depends on his criminal record, a single misdemeanor drug charge, according to court testimony.
Alleged struggle with police
When police arrived at a residence off Minnesota Drive shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, they saw a woman stumble out of an apartment and the door slam behind her. She was bleeding severely from bite marks on her face and head, according to a charging document.
The woman was screaming, "He's killing her," the charges say.
Officers entered the apartment and found another woman sitting on the floor, crying and holding a child with face injuries "covered in blood," the charges say. The woman was bleeding from several cuts on her face. Police also found blood spatters in the apartment.
Kapotak is accused of grabbing the child by the neck and slamming his head into the ground multiple times. He intermittently stopped beating the child to assault his girlfriend, the charges say.
At a local hospital, the toddler was diagnosed with multiple fractures, including in his skull. His brain was bleeding and swelling, and he was placed on a breathing tube, the charges say.
The third female victim showed up during the struggle. She told police she grabbed Kapotak so the woman and child could flee, and Kapotak bit her on the face multiple times.
Kapotak was found inside the apartment's bathroom with blood on his shirt. He allegedly punched an officer in the chest and groin before he was arrested.
Kapotak smelled of alcohol, the charges say.
Birthday celebration ends with violence
Kapotak told police he'd been dating one of the victims since June and the child was not his. He said they celebrated his birthday Monday night, the charges say. She went home after dinner and Kapotak went to three bars.
"(Kapotak) stated that while walking home from the last bar, he saw a man exiting his apartment but did not recall anything after that," the charges say.
Police interviewed the child's mother. She said when Kapotak returned home that night, he was drunk and started accusing her of having men over while he was gone, the charges say. That's when Kapotak started assaulting her, the charges say.
During his second interview, Kapotak said the toddler tried to break up the couple's fight three times, according to the charges. The fight happened in a dark bedroom, and he accidentally punched the child in the head once. He later admitted to punching the child in the head three to four times and in the stomach, the charges say.
Nicest child in the world
Valerie Demientieff said she met Kapotak three months ago. Kapotak and his girlfriend appeared to have problems, Demientieff said, but neither she nor the child's mother would have believed Kapotak was capable of such an assault.
"(The child) was the nicest in the world," Demientieff said. "He would go up to everybody."
Kapotak was the driver of a car carrying an infant that crashed into a stopped school bus on Northern Lights Boulevard on Oct. 15, said APD communications director Jennifer Castro.
Police said Kapotak's 2-year-old daughter was in the rear seat of his black Ford Mustang when it hit the bus. No drugs or alcohol appeared to be a factor in the wreck, Castro said. Kapotak was cited for reckless driving and speeding.