Cops nail hammer brothers
Two siblings face charges in alleged attack on third
WOONSOCKET – The second of two brothers sought by police for beating a third with a hammer earlier this month surrendered on felony domestic assault charges Sunday night, police said.
Eugene Raymond Tetreault, 56, of 19 Morton Ave., and Rene Harry Tetreault, 57, of 316 Manville Road, are both facing charges of domestic assault with a deadly weapon in a dwelling house and domestic disorderly conduct.
Police said the new charges stem from a violent attack on a 54-year-old sibling of the Tetreaults that allegedly occurred at Rene’s house on the night of Nov. 9, according to police reports.
Officers learned of the alleged attack after staffers at Landmark Medical Center contacted the police department saying a man had arrived at the hospital claiming he’d been assaulted.
At the hospital, the alleged victim told investigators that his brothers confronted him at the Manville Road residence and began yelling at him – there’s no indication why in police reports.
As the argument grew more heated, however, Rene allegedly struck him on the left side of the head with a hammer, causing him to fall to the floor, at which point Eugene allegedly began punching and kicking him multiple times all over his body.
After a brief struggle, the brother told police, he was able to break free and walk to the hospital for help. Police described the victim’s injuries as minor, saying he suffered a gash on his lip and swelling on is face and shoulder.
Police issued warrants for both of the alleged assailants after taking a complaint from the victim and arrested Rene Tetreault the following day after they saw him walking near his house.
Following his arraignment, Rene was ordered held at the Adult Correctional Institutions for violating his probation on a 2014 conviction for breaking and entering. He has a hearing scheduled for Nov. 28, according to the judiciary’s web site.
A District Court judge also set bail on the new charge at $5,000 with surety and ordered him to stay away from the brother he allegedly assaulted pending another hearing on that matter on Feb. 9.
Eugene Tetreault, who appeared for arraignment in District Court for the first time Monday, was also scheduled for an afternoon hearing as a violator, which puts him at risk of being held as well. He’s on probation until July 2023 following a conviction for felony assault in 2013, the judiciary’s database says.
The results of Eugue’s violation hearing were not available at press time, but the judiciary’s database says he’s due back in court to answer the charges of attacking his brother on Feb. 26. In the meantime, he too, has been ordered to stay away from the alleged victim.