Arraignment Postponed For Wildomar Man Accused Of Robbing Grandmother

Because he's ill, arraignment was postponed today for an ex-con from Wildomar accused of forcing his 87-year-old grandmother to write a check so he could buy drugs.

Tyler James Wedge, 25, could face more than 15 years in prison if convicted of robbery, burglary, receiving stolen property, two counts of possession of illegal narcotics and one count of selling illegal drugs.

Wedge was slated to be arraigned today before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Michael Rushton. But at the last minute, sheriff's deputies informed the court that the defendant had not been medically cleared to leave the infirmary at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, where he's being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Details about Wedge's illness were not disclosed.

Rushton rescheduled the hearing for 9 a.m. Friday.

According to Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad, Wedge was visiting the woman's home when he allegedly took her checkbook and drafted a check to himself, compelling the victim to sign it.

After receiving the woman's complaint, officers went to the defendant's Wildomar residence on Arnett Road and conducted a search, Conrad said.

"A probation search ... produced a considerable amount of prescription drugs," the lieutenant said. "Further investigation revealed those controlled substances were in Mr. Wedge's possession for the purpose of illegal sales."

Wedge was arrested without incident. He has a prior conviction for fraud, for which he served a year in prison, according to court records.