SALT LAKE CITY — A man who family members say has mental health and drug abuse issues was arrested Sunday after police say he attacked his grandparents.
Jacob Tolman Klein, 23, was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility for investigation of attempted criminal homicide by assault, criminal mischief, making a threat of violence, using psychotoxic chemicals, interfering with an arrest, assault on a police officer and aggravated assault.
About 8 p.m. Sunday, St. George police received reports of a man having “psych issues” who was also using drugs and alcohol and was attacking his grandparents and threatening to kill them, according to a police booking affidavit.
Officers learned that Klein, who had been living with his grandparents for two weeks, was cursing in his room and his grandmother asked him to stop.
“During this request, Jacob became volatile and began attacking both grandmother and grandfather. During his attack, he kicked grandfather to the ground and continued to kick him in the face and abdomen,” the affidavit states.
Police say Klein then chased his grandmother outside and attacked her. The woman suffered a broken nose and “skin tears” on her forearms.
“Jacob stated several times that he would kill the both of them. Jacob stated that he had a pistol in the home and that he would use it to kill them and that when the cops come, they won’t have anything to do,” the affidavit says.
Both grandparents are 80, according to St. George police. The grandfather was treated at a local hospital and was later released.
While being taken into custody, Klein allegedly kicked one of the officers.
At the hospital, Klein told investigators that “his intention was to kill grandfather, and only stopped attacking him because he believed that he was dead,” according to the affidavit.
Klein claimed that the grandfather was attacking his grandmother, but police say there was no evidence of that.
Police further learned that Klein has a history of abusing inhalants and two empty cans of “Dust Off” were found in his room, police wrote in the report.
“Jacob’s father stated that he had been trying to get Jacob treatment for his mental health and abuse, and that he believed that Jacob has been deteriorating for some time now. He stated that Jacob has become too volatile, and that he didn’t think it would be safe for Jacob to come back home until he’s had more treatment,” the affidavit states.
Police are requesting Klein be held in jail without bail “due to the fact that he is mentally unstable, abusing aerosol cans which cause psychosis, caused substantial injury to family members, and still has the intention to murder them.”