'Love you yaya': Son who blasted dad after spending the day trying to stop him from drunk driving warned grandma he would 'defend' himself, police say

A Wyoming antheral charged with sidesplitting his father tried to person his lawsuit dismissed, citing self-defense. The justice did not agree, but helium whitethorn get different accidental to person a jury.

Ethan Grasse, 23, is charged with second-degree execution successful transportation with the decease of his father, 49-year-old Michael Grasse, who was fatally shot successful November 2025. According to reporting by section quality outlet Cowboy State Daily, Ethan Grasse and his nationalist defender presented the self-defense case successful the Uinta County District Court connected Tuesday. Ethan Grasse claimed that connected the time earlier the shooting, his begetter was drinking heavy and making threats to physically harm him.

The younger antheral reportedly went arsenic acold arsenic buying a locking doorknob for his chamber doorway truthful his begetter could not travel successful without permission.

According to tribunal documents obtained by Cowboy State Daily, Michael Grasse was "drinking heavily" connected Nov. 21, 2025, erstwhile helium told his lad that helium wanted to spell retired to get food. Ethan Grasse drove his begetter to a edifice to prime up nutrient and they some came backmost home. The lad parked his car down his father's car truthful helium would not beryllium capable to thrust portion successful an intoxicated state.

Michael Grasse aboriginal went extracurricular and started moving trash cans astir truthful helium could thrust his car astir his son's. Ethan Grasse heard what helium was doing and came extracurricular to archer his begetter that helium would telephone the constabulary if helium got down the wheel. The begetter past "physically attacked" his son, and the combat ended aft Michael Grasse's parent intervened.

Police said Ethan Grasse near the location and went to a friend's location to get distant for a portion and effort to find different spot to enactment for the night. When helium was incapable to find different place, helium went to Walmart and bought a locking doorknob for his bedroom. Ethan Grasse reportedly returned location to find his begetter passed retired drunk connected the couch.

According to the tribunal documents, Ethan Grasse took his father's keys and phone, past emptied respective bottles of whiskey portion his begetter was inactive unconscious. He changed the fastener connected his chamber doorway past went to bed.

Police said that astatine astir 10 p.m., Michael Grasse started banging connected his son's door, threatening to interruption it down and "kick [his] a—." Ethan Grasse reportedly told his begetter that helium would springiness backmost the keys and telephone erstwhile helium was sober. The older man, portion continuing to marque threats against his son, near to enactment retired successful his ain room.

At 10:44 p.m., Ethan Grasse texted his grandma from his bedroom, reportedly telling her, "He conscionable woke up one tin perceive him threatening maine throught [sic] the partition not to marque you much bittersweet but if helium tries to interruption into my country one volition support myself emotion you yaya person a bully night."

More from Law&Crime: 'Saw thing connected the ground': Son repeatedly stabbed begetter to decease successful beforehand gait arsenic grandma watched, authorities say

Police said Ethan Grasse woke up again astatine 3:30 a.m. connected Nov. 22, 2025, erstwhile helium heard idiosyncratic banging astatine his chamber door. Without putting connected his glasses, Ethan Grasse seemingly retrieved the .22-caliber handgun helium kept successful his country arsenic the doorway was being breached down. He past allegedly fired astatine slightest 3 shots done the door. When helium heard his begetter fto retired a moan, Ethan Grasse enactment his glasses connected and called 911.

Ethan Grasse wrote successful tribunal documents that since helium could not spot intelligibly without his glasses, helium claimed that helium "did not mean to termination immoderate 1 conscionable support myself from an chartless intruder."

Michael Grasse was brought to a hospital, wherever helium was pronounced dormant astatine 4:22 a.m.

After the defence presented the lawsuit for self-defense successful tribunal connected Tuesday, Uinta County District Court Judge James Kaste was not convinced that the lawsuit should beryllium dismissed connected those grounds. In his ruling, however, Kaste said the defence could inactive reason that the shooting was self-defense astatine trial.

Ethan Grasse was charged with second-degree execution and remains successful custody astatine the Uinta County Jail. His proceedings is scheduled to statesman connected May 12.