An altercation at the Tri-Rail station near Tamarind Ave in West Palm Beach escalated into violence two months ago, ultimately leading to a man having part of his nose bitten off. The incident, as described by the West Palm Beach Police Department, involved a failed murder plot wherein a victim, managing a bar and lounge, was targeted by a suspect and his accomplice, a tattoo artist, as reported by CBS12.
The initial confrontation began when the victim was notified by an employee about a disruptive man at his workplace. Approaching the suspect, Vladimir Fareau, 42, the victim offered him a beer to mollify the tension. Fareau, having nowhere to go, was offered a drive to the train station by the victim. According to an arrest affidavit, Fareau later engaged in a threatening conversation with the victim, inquiring "if he gets down," a question the victim did not affirm, as cited by NBC Montana.
During the ride, Fareau made a FaceTime call asking the person on the line to confirm the victim's identity, which he did upon seeing his tattoo artist, Juan Carlos Herran, on the screen. This led to Fareau attacking the victim, attempting to draw a weapon, which triggered a struggle between the two. The altercation intensified and, during the scuffle, "Fareau bit the victim on his left pectoral leaving a bite mark," and in an act of desperate self-defense, "the victim managed to bite Fareau on his nose severing the front tip," according to police reports. Officers arriving on the scene intervened and apprehended both parties involved in the fight.
Further investigation by the police revealed a deeper plot, where the victim believed Herran had contracted Fareau to kill him over a previous dispute involving Herran's girlfriend. Police found that Fareau, an 11-time convicted felon, had been previously adjudicated guilty of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, and had served 24 months in state prison. Herran was arrested on charges including criminal conspiracy to commit a first-degree felony and attempted first-degree murder, while Fareau faced charges of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, "the victim told police he was in fear for his life," as detailed by an arrest affidavit obtained by CBS12.
