Lake Elsinore Man Accused Of Attacking Family With Chainsaw Pleads Not Guilty

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A 31-year-old man accused of attacking a family member with a chain saw before threatening law enforcement with it pleaded not guilty to his charges on Wednesday.

Agustin Enrique Arana Chavez of Lake Elsinore was arrested last Wednesday morning, Jan. 7, following a standoff with deputies in the 400 block of Lookout Street.

Chavez is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and brandishing a weapon not in self defense. He was arraigned Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Jan. 22 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

He's being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the Byrd Detention Center.

Riverside County sheriff's deputies were called to the home last week after getting calls about a disturbance. When deputies encountered Chavez inside the home, he was wielding a chainsaw and a knife.

The suspect reportedly left the home while holding a chainsaw but failed to comply with deputies’ commands and went back inside, authorities said. Chavez is accused of principally focusing on one person in particular while making threats, according to court documents.

After family members were safely able to escape the property, a crisis negotiator engaged Chavez in a nearly two-hour phone call that ultimately failed.

With assistance from a SWAT team, Chavez was forcibly removed from the house and arrested. One deputy was momentarily in danger, according to court records. No one was injured during the ordeal.

The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information was released.

Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact Deputy Sagale at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station at 951-245-3300.

City News Service contributed to this report.