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SUPERIOR — A village of Oliver man who allegedly struck an elderly man in the head with a hammer and stole his truck was bound over for arraignment following an Oct. 5 preliminary hearing in Douglas County Circuit Court.
Carter Joshua Pionk, 22, faces felony counts of armed carjacking and physical abuse of an elder person-intentionally cause bodily harm with use of a dangerous weapon.
A cash bond of $10,000 was set for Pionk, and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim or his residence, and not to use or possess a dangerous weapon. He remained in custody at the Douglas County Jail on Friday, Oct 14.
Superior Police Officer Paul Bourque responded to the reported carjacking Aug. 27. The victim, a 72-year-old Superior man, said he had been sitting by his garage in a lawn chair smoking a cigarette. He saw a man, later identified as Pionk, walk by in the alley, then come back from the other direction and approach him. The victim said he thought the man was going to ask for a cigarette, but without saying a word he produced a hammer and struck the victim in the head, knocking him to the ground, according to the criminal complaint. Pionk then reportedly picked up the victim’s keys and sped away in the victim's truck, which had been in the driveway, the criminal complaint said.
Bourque reported that the victim was bleeding profusely from the top of his head, and the left side of his shirt was soaked with blood. A metal claw-style hammer was found with suspected blood on it, the criminal complaint said.
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The Duluth Police Department located the stolen vehicle at the Minit Mart near Proctor and the driver was identified as Pionk, according to the criminal complaint. His clothing and description matched information the victim provided about his attacker.
The carjacking count, a class C felony, carries a maximum penalty of 40 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000. The physical abuse of an elder person charge is punishable by up to 12 and a half years of imprisonment and a fine up up to $25,000. Pionk’s next court appearance was set for Nov. 7.
