By Hannah Skepner
WOODLAND – Defendant Nazim Shikhanstov was brought before Judge Timothy Fall this Tuesday here in Yolo County Superior Court to face a charge of felony manslaughter—and to face the victim’s family members, with six heartbreaking impact statements.
On September 12, 2018, the victim was driving to work on his motorcycle when he was hit by a tractor trailer, driven by Shikhanstov, who did not have the proper license nor permit to drive such a vehicle.
Instead of immediately dialing 911, the defendant proceeded to call his coworker, begging him to lie about being the one in the car. His friend complied until he realized the severity of the 
situation, announcing he could no longer do it.
Among those making statements were the victim’s father, uncle, and best friend, each of whom were brought to tears in reading their letters.
Following these three, Julia Hernandez, a victim advocate for Yolo County, read three more statements, from the victim’s grandmother, golf coach, and close family friend.
In almost every statement made, a common theme emerged: Shikhanstov had taken a precious person from them, and an apology was necessary.
After these gut-wrenching statements made by the closest people to the victim, the defendant asked to speak.
With tears, and gasps for air in between words from the heavy impact the family clearly had on him, he stated, “I personally live with this every day; you can go cuckoo thinking about it … mentally it destroys you, and I truly want to apologize.”
The judge ordered a driver’s safety course with a minimum of at least 80 hours in addition to two years of probation, a no contact order with the victim’s family, and 364 days in custody, which began immediately following the hearing.
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