A Schererville man was sentenced to five years probation Wednesday in a plea deal for a 2021 hatchet attack, court records show.
Jason Kalbac, 30, admitted Dec. 7 to criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony.
The deal sets out his sentence and requires him to enroll in anger management and may also make him complete a substance abuse program.
Kalbac’s father called 911 after the victim escaped on Feb. 24, 2021 from the bedroom and the man witnessed his injuries, Schererville Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Cook said previously.
During the 911 call, the homeowner reported his adult son bludgeoned his friend inside the residence and there was blood all over, according to a release.
The victim, a 26-year-old Schererville man, told police he had been living with Kalbac for about five months and was allegedly told by Kalbac he was not allowed to leave the home.
“The victim further reported Kalbac had blamed him for all the problems in his life and became physically abusive to him over the last 48 hours,” Cook wrote in a release.
When officers and detectives responded to the residence and met the victim, they could see he had two black eyes and was bleeding profusely from his left arm. The victim also showed officers several other places on his body that were bleeding and said he believed both of his hands were broken, according to the release.
“Investigators determined that over the last 48 hours, Kalbac handcuffed the victim and locked him in a bedroom where he tortured him using several different deadly weapons,” Cook said in a release.
The victim alleged Kalbac struck him several times with a hatchet and used a Taser, a police-style expandable baton and brass knuckles to beat and torture him, police said.
Kalbac was originally charged with multiple felonies including attempted murder, aggravated battery, criminal confinement, four counts of battery by means of a deadly weapon and battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
Staff reporter Carrie Napoleon contributed. mcolias@post-trib.com
