[StBernard] Brotherly battle in Chalmette leads to arrest

[Westley Annis]

Brotherly battle in Chalmette leads to arrest
Posted by St. Bernard bureau June 07, 2007 10:22AM
St. Bernard bureau 

An argument between two Chalmette brothers over $20 escalated into a fight
involving a hammer, a machete and one of the brothers being beaten over the
head, St. Bernard Parish authorities said. 

When it was over, Charles Rinkus, 51, of 307 W. Celestine St., was booked
with aggravated battery and his brother, Harold Rinkus, 46, of 305 W.
Celestine St., was nursing a head wound, authorities said. 

Harold Rinkus might still face arrest, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's
Office said in a news release Thursday. 

According to the news release, deputies responded to the scene of a
disturbance Sunday and spoke with Charles Rinkus, who told them that Harold
Rinkus had asked to borrow $20 from him. Charles Rinkus told his brother
they could talk about it later, the report said. At that, Charles Rinkus
told deputies, Harold Rinkus became angry and smashed his windshield with a
jack. 

Charles Rinkus said his brother then came at him with a machete, demanding
$20. Seeing the machete, Charles Rinkus told deputies he armed himself with
a hammer. 

He told deputies that Harold Rinkus swung the machete at him but missed.
Charles Rinkus responded by hitting Harold Rinkus over the head with the
hammer, deputies said. 

The news release said Harold Rinkus initially refused medical treatment, but
later was transported to University Hospital in New Orleans for treatment of
cuts and bruises to the back of his head. 

The news release said that upon his recovery from the head wound, Harold
Rinkus could be booked with aggravated assault, criminal damage to property
and disturbing the peace.