ATV-riding man chases cousin, whacks him with a handsaw, deputies say. Now he’s in jail

What started as an argument between cousins ended with what sheriff’s officials say was one of the men chasing the other around on an ATV and hitting him with a handsaw.

Javier Ramirez, 24, and his 24-year-old cousin are known to fight often, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post, so it wasn’t a surprise when they began arguing Tuesday. This time they started hitting each other with shovels, according to the sheriff’s office.

Ramirez escalated the dispute when he pulled a handgun from his waistband and chambered a round, according to authorities. His cousin knocked the gun away before Ramirez could raise it into a firing position, and he then fled the scene, they said.

The dispute continued when Ramirez hopped onto an ATV and began chasing his cousin while hitting him with a handsaw, the sheriff’s office said. The cousin was able to escape and get to the hospital. The attack left him with a broken hand as well as cuts and bruises.

Ramirez was arrested at work, and deputies said they located the handgun.

He was booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of second-degree assault.

This story was originally published April 24, 2019 at 11:46 AM.