Man accused of attacking nurse triggers er lockdown in lancaster — Police at Crime Scene

Penn Township man accused of assaulting nurse and threatening ER staff waives hearing

Lancaster, PA – A Penn Township man will stand trial in county court after waiving his preliminary hearing last month on charges stemming from a chaotic outburst at UPMC Lititz Hospital, where he allegedly assaulted a nursing assistant and threatened multiple staff members.

Brian Keith Rineer, 56, of Loghes Drive, waived his hearing before Judge Joseph Stauffer on October 31. He faces charges of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct after an incident on the evening of October 12 that led to the temporary shutdown of the hospital’s emergency department.

Police say Rineer pushed a nursing assistant twice upon arrival at the hospital and made threats to physically harm her. As he continued to act aggressively, hospital staff restrained him and locked him inside a room to prevent further disruption.

While confined, Rineer reportedly began punching a glass door and screaming, causing enough disturbance that the emergency room was closed temporarily, delaying care for other patients. Police from the Northern Lancaster Regional Department responded to the scene around 8:30 p.m.

Rineer was released on $50,000 unsecured bail. Officer Anthony Liguori filed the charges. Court proceedings will now continue in Lancaster County Court.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Key Points

Brian Keith Rineer is charged with assaulting a nurse and threatening staff at UPMC Lititz Hospital
Incident led to ER lockdown and delays in patient care
Rineer waived preliminary hearing and will face trial in county court

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Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

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