A 49-year-old 'Aiea Heights man who allegedly beat his 85-year-old grandmother last week — sending her to the hospital in critical condition — has been charged with attempted second-degree murder.

Darrel Wright remains in police custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing has been set for 1:30 p.m. tomorrow in District Court for Wright, who lives on Kaulainahe'e Place.

According to a police statement filed in connection with the case, Wright called police about 6:30 Wednesday evening to report that he had just beaten up his grandmother.

Police officers arrived at the home to find an elderly woman being carried out on a stretcher with her body covered in blood, according to the statement.

An emergency medical technician told police that she asked Wright what happened and if he was responsible for the woman's injuries, the statement said.

"Wright responded by nodding his head in an affirmative manner, then made a fist and punched his other hand repeatedly in an indicating manner as (to) how he had assaulted" the woman, according to the statement.

The medical technician told police that the woman was in critical condition and was going to be taken to The Queen's Medical Center to be treated for substantial injuries to her cranium and face due to blunt force trauma, the police statement said.