By Jim Newell

Review Editor

An Ohio man who beat a Lake Orion man with his fists and a baseball bat has been bound over to Oakland County Circuit Court for trial.

Mark David Rinier, 41, is charged with one felony count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and an additional charge of Assault with Intent to do Great Bodily Harm Less than Murder, said Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh in a news release.

Rinier had a preliminary exam Aug. 7 before 52/3 District Court Judge Julie A. Nicholson, who increased his bond to $50,000, no 10 percent cash surety option with the additional charge.

Lake Orion police investigators took custody of Rinier from the Montgomery County Jail in Ohio on July 19, said Narsh. Rinier has been in the Oakland County Jail since his arrest and extradition back to Michigan.

Rinier was wanted in connection with an assault that occurred near the Shadbolt and Broadway streets intersection about 3:45 a.m. June 22. A Lake Orion Police officer discovered the victim near the Fork ‘n Pint restaurant, bleeding heavily from his face and head.

The victim, 35, was able to identify the person who assaulted him as Rinier.

Lake Orion Police, working with Cincinnati and Dayton Ohio police, located Rinier at a home in the Dayton area. He was hiding in the attic at the time of the arrest and was taken into custody by the Dayton Police Department Fugitive Apprehension Team on July 13, Narsh said.

Rinier waived extradition back to Michigan and was arraigned on July 20 before 52/3 District Court Magistrate Mari Soma on one felony count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and placed on $25,000 cash bond (no 10 percent surety).

The assault occurred after the Lake Orion man had tried to help Rinier, who is from the Cincinnati area.

Rinier had been abandoned by friends in Lake Orion earlier in the week after a Lake Orion police officer arrested the driver of a car with Ohio license plates on a suspended driver’s license.  The vehicle did not register to anyone inside and was impounded, Narsh said.

The driver found a ride back to Ohio, but Rinier, a passenger in the vehicle, told the officer he would find his own way home and was allowed to leave the scene.

The victim then met Rinier at a local gas station, saying Rinier seemed “down and out of luck,” according to police reports. The Lake Orion man then offered Rinier a place to stay until he could arrange to get back to Ohio.

The victim, who lived alone, became uncomfortable with Rinier in his home after a few days and asked him to leave. That’s when Rinier allegedly assaulted the man with his fists and a baseball bat, which was recovered at the scene.

The victim suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized for an extended period of time, Narsh said.

Lake Orion police released information on the assault and asked the public to be on the lookout for Rinier as soon as they were able to identify him as a suspect.

“Due to an overabundance of caution, on June 22, 2018 Lake Orion Police published information on Rinier to the public for fear he may attempt to secure another living arrangement locally,” Narsh said.