Men accused of attempted murder with a hammer appear in court; victim released from hospital

Two men suspected in a hammer attack on a north Spokane County man made their first appearances in court Wednesday.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael Price set bond at $250,000 for both John H. Tollefson, 50, and Eric D. Kaiser, 44. The men face charges of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree criminal conspiracy to commit murder.

The victim, Austin Ray, of Mead, was released from a hospital Wednesday, according to his lawyer, Mark Cassell.

Shortly after midnight Tuesday morning, Ray heard a knock on his door, according to court documents. When he answered it, he found Kaiser, who told Ray he’d slid his car into Ray’s because of icy conditions. When Ray stepped out of the house, Kaiser attacked him with a hammer, striking his head. Ray fought back and the fight spilled into multiple neighbors’ yards.

Ray was able to pry the hammer away from Kaiser and struck back with it. The fight left Ray with cuts on his face, and at one point he lost consciousness, according to court documents.

Kaiser fled, and police later found him at Tollefson’s house and arrested both of them.

Tollefson is the father of Ray’s ex-girlfriend. Ray and the ex-girlfriend, who is unnamed in court documents, had recently broken up. Tollefson told deputies that he had driven by Ray’s house multiple times around the time of the crime, according to a news release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Kaiser also mentioned “Tollefson’s grandson” to a deputy, saying that Ray may have hurt the ex-girlfriend’s child.

Kaiser told the deputy that he knocked on Ray’s door and was attacked by someone with an unknown object and the two began to fight, after which Kaiser ran away.

Kaiser has a felony conviction from 1995, his attorney said in court Wednesday. The attorney said Kaiser is unemployed and has been unable to work because of an injury.

Tollefson’s and Kaiser’s arraignments are set for 9 a.m. Dec. 26.