The bizarre behavior of a man who attacked tellers at U.S. Bank with a hammer last week was revealed Tuesday in court as the irate would-be robber was bound to the grand jury on 10 criminal counts.
The defendant, Arlin Pinkard Jr., was bound to the grand jury on three counts of domestic assault, two counts of aggravated assault, and single counts of resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment with a weapon, vandalism, especially aggravated burglary, and distributing or delivery of any substance as an act of terrorism or as a hoax.
The last count, investigators say, came as the result of Pinkard pouring a white substance on the counter of U.S. Bank when the shirtless man walked into the Chancery Street business last week and began shouting threats before jumping the counter and grabbing a hammer from a construction zone in the bank.
“He walked in and sprinkled the powder on the counter, saying something bad was going to happen,” said McMinnville police investigator Todd Rowland. “He never said what was going to happen, just that something bad was going to happen.”
While authorities have sent the white substance for analysis, they believe the powder was actually meth. Other than being an illegal drug, they do not believe the powder presented any physical threat to the bankers as would have something like anthrax or other kinds of hazardous powders. However, the allegation it was sprinkled in order to cause fear falls into the same law as does distributing a dangerous powder.
Investigators have not revealed what prompted Pinkard to enter the bank and begin yelling threats before chasing bank employees with a hammer. However, authorities know Pinkard was at a residence across town just minutes before attacking an ex-girlfriend.
Warrants reveal Pinkard broke into the house and physically assaulted the woman and members of her family before leaving and heading to the bank. Officers were taking the report on the domestic assault when Pinkard walked into the bank and began making the terroristic threats.
Suspect put meth on bank counter, police say
