Suspect Has History of Mental Problems : 1 Dies, 3 Hurt in Attack on Family

A 21-year-old Encino man with a history of mental problems and violence attacked four members of his family with a baseball bat--fatally injuring one of them--after they tried to persuade him to commit himself to a mental hospital, Los Angeles police said Monday.

Douglas Michael Hartman was being held without bail on suspicion of first-degree murder at the Van Nuys Jail. Police said it was the second time in two years Hartman had been arrested for assaulting family members.

The fatal attack occurred Friday night in the living room of Hartman’s family’s home in the 17900 block of Medley Drive, police said. The suspect’s uncle, Arthur Hartman, 57, of Calabasas suffered massive head injuries in the attack and died Sunday at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, police said.

3 Women Treated

In addition to his uncle, Hartman attacked his mother, Phyllis Hartman, 51; sister, Wendy Hartman, 24, and aunt, Shirley Hartman, 56, police said. The three women were treated and released Friday at Tarzana Medical Center.

Detective Phil Quartararo said the attack occurred about 9:30 p.m., several hours after members of the family told Hartman they wanted him to go voluntarily to a mental hospital for treatment of ongoing emotional problems.

“They were trying to commit him to a hospital,� Quartararo said. “He had some mental problems and it was a recurring thing. He had been in a mental hospital before. The problem was getting him to go.�

“They had told him early in the day that they wanted him to go and he ran off,� Quartararo added. “Then that night he came back home. There was no discussion. He walked in, acted obnoxious with the women who were sitting in the living room and just went and got the bat and started attacking.�

Father Escaped

Police said Arthur and Shirley Hartman had been at the home to help try to persuade their nephew to commit himself. The suspect’s father, Ron Hartman, also was in the house but escaped the attack when he ran to a neighbor’s house to get help after his son became violent.

Neighbors said screams erupted from the Hartman home during the attack and that Hartman’s mother and sister ran out the front door, bleeding from head wounds and calling for help.

After the attack, Douglas Hartman ran out the back door of the house, police said. He was arrested about half and hour later when spotted by a police officer a block from the Hartman home.

Quartararo said Hartman had been arrested in June, 1987, for attacking members of his family and causing minor injuries.