Charges Filed Against Man Accused Of Attacking Family With Hammer, Wrench

An ex-con accused of attacking his mother and younger brother with tools that he allegedly also tried to use against sheriff's deputies who arrested him was charged today with assault resulting in great bodily injury and other felonies.

Aaron Paul Graves, 29, of Temecula was arrested Monday night following a confrontation at his family home in the 31100 block of Tecumseh Court.

(Click here to read about the standoff.)

Along with the felony assault count, Graves is charged with inflicting corporal injury resulting in physical trauma, child abuse, felony resisting arrest, vandalism and sentence-enhancing allegations of using a deadly weapon during a felony and being a habitual offender.

He was slated to make his initial court appearance at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta this afternoon.

According to Riverside County sheriff's officials, Graves' 10-year-old brother called 911 around 6 p.m. Monday, saying his older brother had assaulted him and his mother with a hammer and wrench and they needed help.

Deputies arrived moments later and attempted to make contact with Graves, who barricaded himself inside the home and threatened to hit anybody who got near him, sheriff's Sgt. Curt Harris alleged.

Deputies were able to access the house via a rear patio door, but Graves refused their commands to surrender his weapons, according to Harris.

He said the ex-con, apparently under influence of drugs, was shocked with a Taser, which had no effect. Deputies then fired a non-lethal pepper ball at him, momentarily disorienting Graves but not disabling him, Harris said.

A police K9 was set loose on the allegedly combative man, but "Graves resisted and attempted to strike the K9 with a hammer," the sergeant said.

"When he engaged the K9, (deputies) quickly subdued Graves and place him in handcuffs -- but only after two deputies suffered minor injuries during the incident," Harris said.

Paramedics treated the defendant's mother and brother at the scene for minor wounds. Graves and the deputies were treated at a hospital.

The defendant was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, where he was being held in lieu of $215,000 bail.

—City News Service