The hatchet case that rattled a Hazel Park neighborhood is now headed to a higher court, after a judge found there is enough evidence to keep the felony charge alive.
Robert Narducci, 51, of Hazel Park is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm after a 31-year-old visitor from Royal Oak suffered severe cuts to his hand and mouth during an altercation on Jan. 29. Police say the man was treated at a local hospital and is expected to survive.
Preliminary Hearing Moves Case Forward
A 43rd District Court judge found probable cause on Tuesday and ordered Narducci’s case sent up to Oakland County Circuit Court, according to The Oakland Press. Court records cited in that report list Narducci’s circuit-court arraignment for March 17, with a violation-of-probation hearing set for March 31. The transfer means prosecutors will now pursue the felony in the higher trial court.
Police Account of the Attack
Investigators say the confrontation turned violent inside a Hazel Park home, where a hatchet hanging on the dining-room wall suddenly became a weapon. The suspect allegedly grabbed the tool and swung it at the visitor’s head, forcing the Royal Oak man to throw up his hand and take a deep cut instead, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
Police reports say the victim and a friend bolted for a vehicle outside while the suspect chased after them. During that flight, the assailant allegedly struck the man in the face with the hammer end of the hatchet. Officers later served a search warrant at the Hazel Park residence, recovered the hatchet along with blood evidence, and took Narducci into custody, according to the station’s account.
Defendant’s Criminal History and Supervision Status
Records reviewed by New Media Detroit show Narducci previously pleaded no contest in a similar case and was sentenced in 2024 to four days in jail and three years of probation. That reporting states his supervision stems from a 2023 conviction and was still active when the alleged January attack took place. For background on the earlier case and police description of the incident.
Legal Stakes
Assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder is a felony that carries up to 10 years in prison under Michigan law, according to the Michigan Legislature. State court materials also explain that judges may revoke probation and resentence a defendant to incarceration if a probationer commits a new felony while under supervision. Taken together, those provisions mean Narducci faces both potential prison time on the new charge and the loss of his current probation if the allegations are proven.
Next Steps
Court filings and local coverage indicate Narducci was released on a $10,000 bond after his initial arraignment and remains out on bond while the case moves forward. The arraignment in circuit court is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, and a probation-violation hearing is set for March 31, according to ClickOnDetroit. Final scheduling will appear on the court docket, and prosecutors have not released any additional on-the-record statements about the case.
