(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) A police vehicle is parked in front of 10 Evergreen Circle in Litchfield Wednesday, as local and state police conducted an investigation into an incident that led to the arrest of a Jaffrey man on an attempted murder charges.

LITCHFIELD — Ian J. Morris, the 25-year-old Jaffrey man facing numerous charges accusing him of unlawfully entering an Evergreen Circle home just before midnight Tuesday, allegedly found his way to a sleeping couple’s bedroom, stood in the doorway clutching a hatchet and, when they woke up, allegedly asked the man a question.

“How do you want to die?” Morris allegedly asked, before telling the man to come downstairs with him, according to court documents and police reports.

The couple, “believing it was some sort of prank, got out of bed,” police said, and put their clothes on, at which time Morris allegedly told the man to come downstairs with him.

The couple, described by police as husband and wife, are identified only by their initials in court paperwork.

Both the man and woman went downstairs with Morris, at which time, police said, Morris allegedly told the man to go outside with him.

(Litchfield police photo) Ian Morris, age 25, of Jaffrey. Arrested Wednesday in connection with a home invasion in Litchfield.

When the man refused, Morris allegedly raised the hatchet

and struck the man in the head with the blunt end, police said. He allegedly continued to assault the man as the skirmish moved down a hallway.

At some point, Morris dropped the hatchet, and the woman was able to grab it, police said. She told police Morris also had a knife, which she said she was able to take during the altercation, police said.

Morris allegedly continued assaulting the man, and when police arrived moments later, the skirmish had moved into the bathroom, police said.

The officers separated the two and took Morris into custody, and radioed the ambulance crew from Hudson, which was standing by outside, to enter to administer first aid to the man, who police said suffered “several lacerations to his head and face.”

There’s no indication in the reports whether anyone else was in the home at the time of the incident. The house, a large, two-story colonial at 10 Evergreen Circle, is near the end of Evergreen Circle, which is a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood between Pinecrest and Hillcrest roads in the northern end of town.

One of the officers, while escorting Morris to a cruiser for transport to police headquarters, “learned that Ian was from Jaffrey and he did not know the family at 10 Evergreen Circle,” police said.

Morris, of 3 Skyline Drive in Jaffrey, was booked on an assortment of charges, including one count of attempted murder, a special felony; two counts of first-degree assault, Class A felonies; two counts of second-degree assault, Class B felonies; and one count each of kidnapping and burglary, also Class B felonies.

Morris was jailed pending arraignment, which he waived on Thursday, agreeing to remain held on preventive detention.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.