A Concord man accused of assaulting an intimate partner, threatening a family member with a steel wrench and spitting at a police officer will be detained pending trial, a judge ordered Thursday.
Brent Keyser, 33, faces two counts each of felony criminal threatening and second-degree assault, some of which are domestic violence related. He also faces five counts of misdemeanor simple assault, two of which are domestic violence related, and one count of resisting arrest.
Police responded to a residence on Larkspur Place late Wednesday for a report of a domestic dispute. The man reported that his stepson had pushed him, hit him with a wrench and threatened to kill him.
The argument had ensued after Keyser’s girlfriend began packing her belongings and said she was going to leave, according to court records.
When Officer Jason Garrahan arrived at the residence, he observed a man, later identified as Keyser, who appeared agitated as he stood beside a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Upon seeing the officer, Keyser yelled derogatory names and began walking toward Garrahan in an “aggressive manner,” according to a police affidavit. Garrahan said Keyser refused to comply and continued to charge, forcing him to use pepper spray.
Once in custody, Keyser continued to pull away from Garrahan and scream. On their walk to the cruiser, Garrahan heard Keyser make a sucking noise and within seconds he had spit on the officer’s shirt, the affidavit says. Keyser is also accused of kicking Garrahan in the right shin.
As the arrest unfolded outside, Concord police Officer Sarah Wyszynski spoke with Keyser’s girlfriend about what had unfolded earlier that evening. The woman said she was packing up her belongings when Keyser jumped off a bed, lunged at her and swung his arm, striking her in the ribs.
Keyser’s stepfather said he heard the woman scream and cry for help and intervened to help her leave the residence, the affidavit says.
Keyser took off on his motorcycle for a few minutes but returned to the home just as police arrived.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 29 in Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord.
(Alyssa Dandrea can be reached at 369-3319 or at adandrea@cmonitor.com.)