SEAVIEW — Rising tensions between two neighbors resulted in one being booked into the Pacific County Jail Services for what is described as a felony-style setup. The incident unfolded on Jan. 20 when a man was hit by a car in Seaview.

The driver called the incident to the Pacific County 911 Dispatch Center on Jan. 21 and recounted a bizarre incident to the responding deputy, including her cell phone footage of the encounter.

It was all part of an ongoing neighbor dispute in which Ivan Antonich, 50, allegedly attempted to instigate an assault.

According to court records, the female driver told a responding deputy that the man was threatening her and doing his best to prevent her from leaving her residence. He would stand in her driveway or in an easement to make her travel difficult.

Detectives investigate

The investigation was handed over to PCSO Detectives Cory Nacnac and Kevin Acdal.

“On 1/21/2025, Deputy [Cosmo] Cozby was dispatched to an incident … in which [a female] called to report that she was trying to leave and go around Ivan, who was standing in the easement, when he ‘jumped out,’” Nacnac stated in court records.

“She further reported that she accidentally hit him with the corner of her car, but she could now see him up and moving around by his garage,” Nacnac added.

PacCom received calls from the woman at 6:10 p.m. and 6:13 p.m., along with a 911 call from Antonich’s partner. The partner reported that Antonich “had an injury to his hand and right wrist and was laying on his side, stating that it ‘hurts all over.’”

According to court records, the driver took cell phone video of the encounter, which shows her “departure from her property.” In the video, she reportedly states, “I’m just hoping he’s not standing in the road again like he was last night.”

The video footage shows the front of her vehicle and the vehicle’s dashboard displays, which showed her speed of between 20 and 22 mph. Then she states, “He’s not in his normal spot; he’s out in the road, blocking me.” She slows down to around 10 mph and appears to turn to go around him.

“As she turns the wheel left, Ivan can be seen with his arms crossed wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, clearly looking at the vehicle,” Nacnac stated in court records. “Ivan then takes an aggressive step out into the road in front of her vehicle.”

“At this moment, it appears as though [she] will still make the turn and avoid striking Ivan, but he then takes another aggressive step towards the middle of the road into the front corner of her vehicle. Ivan connects with her vehicle, and rolls off the side,” Nacnac added while also noting he examined the footage “frame by frame.”

The footage also reportedly shows Antonich “bracing for impact” and then the woman stating, “And I just hit him because he wouldn’t let me pass! I’m calling 911, I’m calling 911 right n-! before the video abruptly ends.

Antonich’s story

A deputy met up with Antonich at the Ocean Beach Hospital and got his side of the story. He alleged that he was out on the road stargazing when he was intentionally struck by the woman, causing injury.

“Iven then states, ‘I’m not a small person; I’m pretty easy to see; I think this was on purpose; I would like to file charges,’” Nacnac stated in court records. “Deputy Cozby asks Ivan if he has cameras, and Ivan replies that he does.”

“Deputy Cozby asks if they would capture the incident, and [his partner], having just walked into the room, states, ‘Not where you were,’ as Ivan simultaneously replies, ‘No, probably not, and I couldn’t get my video up in time,’” Nacnac added.

Antonich reportedly also added, “She has pushed me over the edge… I want her arrested!”

Follow-up

According to court records, Nacnac and Acdal attempted to schedule interviews with Antonich and his partner multiple times to no avail. Ultimately, they decided to go to their residence and speak to them directly by knocking on their door.

“[His partner] responded that she would not answer our questions,” Nacnac stated in court records. “I asked [her] if Ivan was home, and she stated that he was. I informed [her] that Ivan was under arrest and told her that he needed to come outside.”

“I asked [her] not to shut the door, and [she] walked towards the back of the residence, and I heard her informing Ivan what we had told her. Ivan then steps out from the back of the residence and remained deep down the hallway and told [his partner] to shut the door,” Nacnac added.

Ivan reportedly refused to comply with the detectives until after speaking with a lawyer and even shouted, “I told [her], yeah, you shouldn’t have answered the door… Why would you answer the door?”

“[She] then looked at us and stated, ‘Apparently I wasn’t supposed to open the f***ing door,” Nacnac stated in court records.

After speaking with his lawyer, Ivan turned himself in.

According to court records, Antonich filed a civil protection order against his neighbor on March 10, in which he stated he sustained serious injuries from being thrown when he was hit by her car.

“I was hit on the left side of my body,” Antonich stated in the court filing. “I suffered a blow to my left chin and was tossed around the front of the car and thrown to the ground. [She] did not stop her vehicle and drove past me after they hit me.”

“Ivan further outlines substantial pain and suffering he sustained due to the collision, including a broken clavicle and other unspecified ‘severe pain,’ which he states is ongoing,” Nacnac stated in court records.

Arrest and charge

Antonich was subsequently arrested for malicious prosecution, which can be filed when someone, through malice, attempts to get another person arrested by a fabricated crime.

Nacnac notes in court records that if the woman had been charged, she could have faced second-degree assault and also hit-and-run because Antonich alleges she did not stop — both of which are felonies.

Therefore, the malicious prosecution reached the threshold of a class C felony with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Antonich appeared for a preliminary hearing in the Pacific County Superior Court on April 2, and Judge Donald J. Richter released him without bail. Antonich is scheduled to next appear for arraignment on April 11.