Robert Farris remembers the crazed look in the eyes of the man who sliced a sharp object across his abdomen last June. The next thing Farris knew, his internal organs were spilling out into his hands.

Farris' attacker had been in the process of stealing a bicycle off the Southeast Portland property where Farris lived. Farris had confronted the man, telling him to leave the bike behind and scram, Farris later told police.

"I thought he punched me," Farris said. "I put my hand on my stomach ... I pulled my hand back and my guts fell out."

The 59-year-old Farris thought he might die.

To the surprise of many, Farris survived the June 29 attack. And he took the stand Wednesday -- on the second day of a trial in Multnomah County Circuit Court -- to identify his attacker as 26-year-old Andrey Khukhryanskiy.

Andrey Khukhryanskiy

Khukhryanskiy is a repeat convicted thief whose run-ins with the law stretch back to age 14 or 15, when he was first caught with a stolen car. Court records show that when he was 21, he was offered a chance to participate in START, a drug-treatment court, but he failed to show up.

Within hours after Farris was attacked, investigators also believe Khukhryanskiy violently carjacked a Volvo from another man and pummeled yet another man in the head and face before stealing his wallet, cellphone, keys and pickup on Northeast Rocky Butte Lane.

Khukhryanskiy is fighting criminal accusations of attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and more charges related to all three encounters.

According to a deputy's report, Khukhryanskiy was arrested with baggies of meth and a marijuana pipe on him. Before he was finally subdued, he had broken free of a police dog and continued to resist arrest despite officers' repeated use of a Taser, according to authorities.

While in jail, Khukhryanskiy phoned his estranged wife, who told him he was "an idiot" and she hoped that he would "rot" in jail, according to the deputy's report. She told Khukhryanskiy -- the father of two boys, ages 8 months and 5 years -- that she wanted nothing to do with him, the report said.

Farris testified that he'd never seen Khukhryanskiy before. He said he was living in a camper parked in the driveway of a home near Southeast 139th Avenue and Powell Boulevard when he saw a man he believes was Khukhryanskiy approach. Farris was outside the camper with his dog.

Farris lost sight of the man, he said, but then heard a scream from the backyard a moment later and ran there only to see the man wheeling a bike that belonged to one of his friends. When Farris told him to stop, the man threatened to kill his dog, Farris said.

"I said 'No, you ain't going to kill my dog. You're going to have to kill me first. ... Leave the bike. Get out of here,'" Farris said.

Farris said he struck the man on the head with an asp baton. Then suddenly the man cut into Farris' belly, he said. Farris hadn't seen any weapon. He hollered for someone to call 911.

Police officer Sarah Kerwin testified that she responded to find Farris kneeling in the driveway with a look of "defeat" on his face. She said Farris kept asking her if he was going to die.

"I didn't think he was going to make it," Kerwin said. "... I had the thought of 'I don't think you are, but I'm not going to tell him that.'"

Farris was able to give police a brief description of his attacker: 30 to 35 years old, 5-foot-9, shaved head, Russian accent.

Khukhryanskiy, who was arrested hours later after police said they found him near a stolen pickup, was 25 at the time. His head was shaven. Jail records indicate that he's 5-foot-10. He speaks with a Russian accent, and is using a language interpreter during the trial.

Farris, who described himself as a throat-cancer survivor who has endured intense pain, said the attack hurt him badly. More than seven months later, he said he tries to work but quickly feels physically overwhelmed and must rest for a day or two.

He's been trying to gain back weight since cancer treatment ended in 2011, Farris said, but his internal injuries have complicated that.

"My stomach right now is numb, and it's been numb ever since they put me back together," Farris said. "I don't know if that's ever going to go away."

The trial is continuing with more witnesses. The jury is expected to start deliberations on Thursday.

-- Aimee Green

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