A man accused of attacking a San Diego County sheriff's deputy in Encinitas over the weekend and sending him to the hospital made an appearance in court Thursday.
Suspect Frederick Gramcko, 53, pleaded not guilty in a Vista courtroom to charges of attempted murder of a peace officer. Judge James E. Simmons Jr. denied Gramcko bail, saying he is a danger to the community.
According to the San Diego District Attorney's Office, the deputy attacked sustained a broken nose, arm and leg. He was taken to the Scripps Encinitas hospital and has since been released.
The incident started when deputies received a call Saturday that a man was hitting a red-light camera with a baseball bat shortly after 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
At the same time, a Sheriff's deputy was driving by and saw Gramcko attacking the camera, investigators said.
The deputy approached Gramcko and ordered him to drop his bat, but Gramcko refused, investigators added. The deputy attempted to use a stun gun on Gramcko but it malfunctioned and Gramcko swung the bat at the deputy several times, attempting to hit him in the head.
The deputy then attempted to use his baton on Gramcko. Gramcko and the deputy ran westbound on Encinitas Boulevard onto the Shell gas station parking lot, according to investigators.
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"When the deputy caught up to the suspect, he turned around and attacked the deputy and a physical altercation between them ensued," San Diego Sheriff's Office Detective Adrian Moses said. "Other deputies arrived on scene and the suspect was ultimately detained and handcuffed."
Gramcko was restrained in a Wrap device — a thick nylon blanket that prevents a suspect from kicking and moving around — and taken to Scripps La Jolla hospital for treatment before being booked into the Vista Detention Facility on charges of attempted murder of a peace officer.
On Thursday, the District Attorney's Office said Gramcko's actions were premeditated. His next court hearing is scheduled for January 2nd.
