Man accused of shooting at another motorist

A Colville-area man was charged Thursday with chasing down and shooting at a motorist with whom he had a grievance.

Alexei Nicolaevich Tsibulko, 32, was charged with second-degree assault in Stevens County Superior Court.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor John Troberg said in court documents that Tsibulko called the Sheriff’s Office about 12:30 p.m. Monday to report that he was chasing a man who had been harassing him.

A witness soon called to report two men were fighting on Orin-Rice Road, just south of Colville, and a sheriff’s deputy found Gennadiy Peskov at the scene.

Peskov told the deputy Tsibulko flipped him off at the roundabout on U.S. Highway 395 at the south end of Colville, and Peskov retorted, “That’s how much brains you have.”

Peskov said he pulled into a driveway when Tsibulko followed him, according to Troberg. Then Tsibulko allegedly stopped his truck beside Peskov’s and aimed a .22-caliber rifle at Peskov.

Peskov said he grabbed the rifle and Tsibulko pulled it away, according to court documents. Then Tsibulko allegedly stood on the running board of his truck and fired a round while Peskov got out and tried to hide.

Peskov said he threw a handful of gravel, and Tsibulko drove away when he noticed a passer-by was watching.

Tsibulko told the deputy he fired a shot into the ground after Peskov “came at him” and threw gravel at him. Tsibulko said he flipped off Peskov at the roundabout because Peskov was “running his mouth,” but he declined to explain the quarrel, according to court documents.