ANTONITO — A motel handyman was taken into custody May 15 and held in lieu of $50,000 following an incident with a female companion that led the District Attorney to consider a charge of second-degree attempted murder.

Michael Curtis Raley had reportedly been staying at the Narrow Gauge Motel, receiving room and board in exchange for work around the property.

Rio Grande County Judge Barbara Zollars advised him by phone and formal filing of charges will be at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Deputy District Attorney Ashley Fetyko told the judge that the 12th Judicial District Attorney had probable cause for Raley to be held.

Fetyko told the court that the bond would need to be high in the interest of public safety. Raley has two prior felonies in Texas, but they are not similar to the charges facing him in Colorado, according to Defense Attorney Benjamin Vernon.

Vernon sought a personal recognizance bond due to the fact that Raley has a large stage four melanoma on his left shoulder and would not receive adequate medical treatment in jail. Without transportation, there would be no way for Raley to make his oncology appointments and the request for a lower bond would be a “life prolonging” measure.

During a confrontation that led to his arrest, Raley allegedly told a female that he would kill her, pointed weapons at her, strangled her and punched her in the head. She told investigators that Raley had numerous weapons in a box. A report returned as the result of a search warrant bore this out.

Judge Zollars asked if any medical records or paperwork had been presented and Vernon said he had seen the tumor, but not medical materials.

She also issued a mandatory protection order barring any contact with the female victim, that Raley abstain from alcohol and not possess any weapons.