ELLERBE — A fugitive from another county was arrested Tuesday after a brief standoff.
According to Sheriff Mark Gulledge, his office was notified Tuesday by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office that 61-year-old Randy Lee Rinck — who was wanted for failing to appear in court on sexual assault charges — was at 424 Pleasant Hill Church Road, southwest of Ellerbe.
Rinck had been on trial following an attack on a woman in Lincolnton, according to media reports.
The victim reportedly told officers that she had gone to Rinck’s house Feb. 13 and the pair had gone for a ride when Rinck began to assault her. When they returned, he reportedly threatened her with a knife and wouldn’t let her leave.
Over the weekend, Rinck reportedly abused the victim physically and sexually, giving her two black eyes and small cuts.
The victim eventually escaped to a neighboring house on Feb. 15, when law enforcement was called.
Rinck was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree forcible sex offense.
According to media reports, Rinck was out on bond and failed to show up on the third day of his trial last Wednesday. After a few hours of searching for the defendant, the trial continued and Rinck was reportedly found guilty Friday of second-degree forcible sex offense and assault with a deadly weapon.
(Note: Records with the N.C. Court System shows Rinck has an appearance on the original charges scheduled for Nov. 2)
Lincoln County Superior Court Judge Alan Z. Thornburg issued an order for Rinck’s arrest.
Gulledge said that, after receiving the call Tuesday, deputies and investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office surrounded the house on Pleasant Hill Church Road and confirmed that Rinck was inside.
Rinck barricaded himself inside a bedroom “for a short time,” but eventually surrendered after negotiations with the RCSO Critical Incident Negotiations Team.
Gulledge said Rinck was processed, brought before a local magistrate, was given no bond and taken back to Lincoln County.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Rinck was first convicted in 1985 of assault on a female.
Rinck has also been convicted of communicating threats (2002), driving with a revoked license (2005) and driving while impaired (2013, 2015).
He is currently surviving a 24-month suspended sentence following a misdemeanor conviction of assault inflicting serious injury in September 2020.
All previous convictions were in Lincoln County.
