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Tres Piedras business owner, 80, indicted with using skid loader to hit construction worker, assault police officer
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TAOS — An 8th Judicial District Court grand jury indicted an 80-year-old Tres Piedras restaurant owner on Thursday for allegedly using a skid loader to strike a construction worker and assault a police officer while removing construction cones he claimed were blocking his business in July.
Frank “Gil” Graves, the co-owner of the Chili Line Depot northwest of Taos, was indicted on multiple felony counts, including aggravated battery, aggravated assault upon a peace officer, two counts of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and reckless driving.
Graves was arrested on July 14 outside the Chili Line Depot, which is located along U.S. 285 north of U.S. 64, the site of a four-year-long roadway project.
According to Thursday’s indictment, Graves’ frustration with the slow progress of the project outside his business may have been the motive behind the crimes charged.
Graves and his wife claimed construction equipment had been blocking their business, which is near U.S. 64, a high-speed, east-west highway that runs across nearly the entire length of the state.
According to the indictment, Graves had been attempting to remove the cones and construction lights when he allegedly struck a construction worker with FNF Construction Inc. in the legs.
A responding deputy from the Taos County Sheriff’s Office then claimed that Graves drove the skid loader, a type of tractor, in his direction while he was attempting to intervene while on foot, forcing him to move out of the way to “avoid being run over.”
Two other road construction workers on scene claimed they were chased by Graves and also feared they might be hit.
Medics treated the construction worker who was struck at the scene.
Efforts to reach Graves for comment were not immediately successful.
