From staff reports
A Kennerdell man accused of firing a revolver in an effort to scare a family on the Rockland Township bike trail last month waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday in Venango County Central Court.
Mark Robert Rauenswinter, 61, is charged with a felony count of ethnic intimidation, misdemeanor counts of simple assault, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, harassment and disorderly conduct and a summary charge of public drunkenness.
A criminal complaint filed by Franklin state police said Rauenswinter encountered the family of four adults and five children on the bike trail near 1031 Rails to Trails Drive in Rockland Township at 7 p.m. July 28.
Before Rauenswinter left the area, he told the family, “I’ll bury you all in the river,” the complaint said.
The complaint said Rauenswinter returned to the area and “brandished” a .357 Taurus Magnum revolver, pointed it in the family’s direction and then fired two shots into the air.
The family related to police Rauenswinter appeared to be highly intoxicated at the time, the complaint said.
One family member, Jamil A. Wekhian, 38, who is a professor at Westminster College, previously told the newspaper Rauenswinter was riding a golf cart when he fired the shots.
The complaint said Rauenswinter admitted to firing the revolver in the air in an attempt to scare the family into leaving.
He remains lodged in the Venango County jail.
