Damages reduced in Santa Rosa newspaper carrier beating

Two baton-wielding Santa Rosa men who chased down a newspaper carrier, causing him to crash into a parked car when he attempted to flee, do not have to pay more than $12,000 to repair the damaged car, an appeals court ruled Thursday.

The decision came in the 2015 case involving ex-convict Rodeo Vanbladel, 36, and his roommate, Matthew Mills, 29. The Baggett Court residents claimed they mistook carrier Jimmy Traconis for a burglar and attacked him as he tossed newspapers from his minivan on their street.

Thinking he was going to be robbed, Traconis tried unsuccessfully to get away, crashing into a parked car owned by Harry Leseur. He tried to escape on foot, but the men caught him, hitting him in the head with 3-foot-long clubs and kicking him in the ribs when he fell to the ground.

Later, after their arrest, Vanbladel pleaded no contest to assault and was sentenced to four years in prison. He also was ordered to pay a total of $15,000 in restitution, including $12,435 for Leseur’s car. Mills was sentenced to a six-month prison term.

Both appealed the latter amount, arguing prosecutors had dropped a vandalism charge connected to the damage, which occurred before the assault.

The three-judge panel of the First Appellate District in San Francisco, agreed, finding Leseur was not technically a victim and was not entitled to compensation.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.