A man was arrested after deputies say he threatened to stab and kill two people with a knife outside a Summerfield Dollar General before fleeing from law enforcement on a bicycle.
Kasey Erin Reinke, 36, was arrested Sept. 18 and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and resisting an officer without violence, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit. His bonds were listed at $5,000 for each aggravated assault charge and $1,000 for the resisting charge.
According to the affidavit, deputies responded to the area of SE Highway 42 and U.S. Highway 301 after receiving a report of a verbal disturbance. A deputy spotted a man matching the description riding a blue bicycle north from the Dollar General parking lot at 16630 U.S. Highway 301.
The man, later identified as Reinke, was located near the Marathon gas station on U.S. 301. According to deputies, a sergeant instructed him to stop and activated the lights on a marked patrol vehicle, but Reinke allegedly continued riding north. Deputies contacted him again about 70 yards away.
When the alleged victims arrived, deputies said Reinke spontaneously told them, “I don’t even know them, I’ve never seen them before.”
Reinke was detained and agreed to speak with investigators. According to the affidavit, he denied possessing a knife and told deputies he had been using a tool to clear ants from his belongings. He claimed the object was a piece of screening that he had discarded before encountering law enforcement. He also told deputies he had seen the victims’ vehicle in the area before and believed they were frequently shooting at him.
The two alleged victims told a much different story.
According to deputies, the pair had purchased a case of water from Dollar General and were walking toward their vehicle when Reinke approached them and asked what they were laughing at. One victim alleged Reinke was holding a knife in his right hand and said words to the effect of, “Why are y’all laughing at me, I will kill you. I’ll stab someone.”
The victim told investigators Reinke was approximately 10 feet away when he displayed the knife and made an aggressive motion toward him. The man said he backed away because he feared Reinke was going to hurt him.
The second victim provided a similar account, telling deputies he had noticed Reinke in the parking lot earlier and thought he was acting strangely. He alleged Reinke approached while clutching what appeared to be a four-inch knife and yelled that he was going to stab and kill them.
According to the affidavit, both men repeatedly told Reinke to back away and assured him they were not laughing at him.
An independent witness also told deputies he saw Reinke drop his bicycle and aggressively approach the two men while holding a knife. A K-9 was brought to the scene to search for the reported weapon, but the knife was not recovered.
Deputies said the victims gave consistent statements and that the independent witness corroborated their account. Based on those statements and the circumstances at the scene, investigators determined there was probable cause to arrest Reinke.
Reinke was transported to the Marion County Jail without further incident.
