HILO, Hawai'i — A Nevada man who set his roommate on fire in an effort to drive him out of the Hilo home they were sharing last year has been convicted of first-degree assault.

Alison Noboru Matsuda, 62, was originally charged with attempted second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Instead, a Big Island jury deliberated for less than a day before convicting Matsuda on Wednesday of the lesser assault charge, meaning he now faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Matsuda told police he came to Hilo with Richard Kazmierski Jr. in January 2006 to live in a Hilo home while the two made renovations to the structure, according to court records. The two were business partners.

The men had been at another site drinking earlier on the evening of Feb. 16, 2006, and returned to the home they shared about 9 p.m. Matsuda told police he later woke up and caught Kazmierski, 44, going through his bag, and said he was "fed up with Richard and wanted him out of the house."

Matsuda then got a can of acetone, poured it on Kazmierski and lit the fluid with a match. Kazmierski fled into the shower to put out the flames, and police were called.

During a statement to police, Matsuda told officers he was surprised when the burning acetone sent flames shooting up three feet, and police noted that Matsuda was "giggling and found it humorous" when he described what had happened.

Kazmierski suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns, including burns on both arms, and had to undergo skin grafts.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.