By KATRINA BRANDON
PETER O’Ryan, the man arrested following an alleged axe or tomahawk attack in Tyers on Saturday, September 5, was called to appear before Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court last week.
Mr O’Ryan however refused to leave his cell.
He has made no application for bail.
Courtroom 6 was filled with police, lawyers and media, many accessing the 3pm hearing via livestream.
The court heard Mr O’Ryan had custody management issues due to unspecified mental and behavioural disturbances due to harmful use of substances, schizophrenia, panic and anxiety disorder.
In court, Magistrate David Starvaggi remanded Mr O’Ryan to return on October 1 for charges, November 16 for charges and summons, and January 14, 2027 for charge and warrant to arrest.
Family Violence Investigation Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Rod Findlay addressed media outside Morwell Police Station on Sunday, September 6, the day after the attack.
He said Mr O’Ryan allegedly had an argument with his brother that led to the incident, leaving his brother, mother and father injured and requiring them to be airlifted to the Alfred Hospital.
“The injuries are very extreme, very serious injuries,” Det Sen Sgt Findlay said.
“I’ve been working in family violence a long time. This is some of the most serious offending I’ve ever seen, without a doubt.”
Emergency services were called to a property on Cowies Road, Tyers following reports that two men and a woman had been seriously injured on Saturday, September 5.
The two men, aged 76 (Mr O’Ryan’s father) and 47 (Mr O’Ryan’s brother), were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where they remain in a stable condition.
Mr O’Ryan’s mother, a 74-year-old woman, was also taken to hospital with critical injuries and remains in a stable condition.
Police conducted an extensive search for the accused, before locating him near Tyers-Walhalla Rd on Tuesday, September 8, just before 9pm.
Since then, Mr O’Ryan (48) has been charged with three counts of intentionally causing serious injury.
