PARIS — A local man has been charged with attacking his wife and her adult son with a baseball bat late Friday night.

Anthony M. Johnson, 52, of Academy Road in Paris, faces two counts of elevated aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated assault in the incident. He was later charged with tampering with a victim when he allegedly made a phone call and an officer overheard him telling someone, “tell her to just tell the truth.”

According to a report by Paris police officer Timothy Gamache, when he arrived to meet the alleged victims’ at a neighbor’s house, the woman and her 24-year-old son were bleeding from the head and face. They told Gamache they feared Johnson would kill them, he said.

The son said his stepfather had been yelling at and attacking his mother, and on Friday night he stepped in to defend his mother. At that point, Johnson allegedly grabbed a baseball bat from a barn outside and told his stepson, “Let’s see how tough you are,” the report said.

Johnson then allegedly began swinging the bat, hitting both his wife and stepson in the face and head. Both were treated for their injuries at Stephens Memorial Hospital.

This wasn’t the first time Johnson’s stepson tried to defend his mother, according to the report. Johnson allegedly called him three weeks prior, challenging him to a fight and threatening that the 24-year-old would end up in the morgue.

When Gamache went to Johnson’s home, assisted by two other officers, he saw blood in the snow, on the porch and in the main entryway to the house. Johnson told police his wife’s son had been holding a knife threateningly, and that he’d accidentally hit his wife while swinging at him in self-defense.

He told Gamache he swung the bat several more times “but did not believe he hit anyone again,” according to the report. He said he called 911 when the two ran from the house.

Johnson was arrested and bail was set at $100,000. For the tampering charge, his bail was set at $10,000.

According to attorney John Jenness, who represented Johnson at his court appearance, Johnson is a military retiree who is studying law enforcement at Central Maine Community College in Auburn.

Johnson’s arraignment is set for May 3 at 8:30 a.m.

treaves@sunjournal.com

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