THOMAS Daniel Riner is accused of robbing a nine-month pregnant woman at her house in Kannat Tabla.
Riner, 41, was charged with robbery and appeared before Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a bail hearing on Monday morning.
Judge Camacho imposed a $10,000 cash bail on Riner, who was represented by Assistant Public Defender Karie Comstock. Assistant Attorneys General Dan Johnson and David Krach appeared for the government.
Judge Camacho remanded Riner to the custody of Corrections after the hearing and ordered him to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct.16 at 10 a.m., and for an arraignment on Oct. 21 at 9 a.m.
According to the complaint against Riner, police received a call on Friday, Oct. 4 at 10:31 a.m. regarding a pregnant woman who was robbed at her house in Kannat Tabla. Police were also told that the two male suspects ran into a boonie area.
Stolen from the victim were her Michael Kors wallet worth $250, Mayor’s ID, WIC ID card, and food stamps worth $125.
She told police she was overdue in her pregnancy and would need to undergo a caesarian section because the baby was breech. She said she was in pain and in shock, and was shaking because the two men “really scared her.”
The victim said she had just come home from shopping when she heard her neighbor’s dog barking. She then walked toward the back of her house while holding her wallet and her cell phone in her right hand. When she got closer to the refrigerator, she was surprised to see a man standing next to her about three feet away. She said the man was about 5’8,” white complexioned, skinny, wearing a black bucket hat, torn-up gray T-shirt and dark pants.
She said the man yanked her wallet that was in her right hand, causing her cell phone to fall on the ground. She said she saw another individual wearing a hoodie who was shorter and had brown skin color. Both fled into the boonie area and headed south. As of press time Monday evening, no additional information about the second suspect was available.
The victim said she had a hard time picking up the cell phone because of her condition and because she was really scared.
A Department of Public Safety detective noted that Riner matched the description of the perpetrator and was living just south of the pregnant woman’s house.
The victim identified Riner in a six-photo lineup shown to her by detectives.
In 2017, Riner was arrested for theft, misuse of credit card, and issuance of bad checks.
In March 2015, police arrested Riner in San Vicente for stealing a 1997 Honda Civic sedan.
In September 2012, Riner was arrested for his involvement in a series of burglaries in Kagman.
