A Brandon Township man is facing harsher charges for his role in a recent attack on local teenagers.
Bryan Hanley, 44, was first arraigned on May 3 on three counts of felonious assault/assault with a dangerous weapon, punishable by up to four years in prison. However, after additional testimony was heard, on June 7 during a preliminary exam in front of 52-2 District Court Judge Joseph Fabrizio, one of the felonious assault charges against Hanley was increased to a charge of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder and a second charge of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder was added. The more serious charges come with a tougher penalty? up to 10 years in prison.
Hanley’s bond conditions were also enhanced to include a GPS tether, and a curfew that confines him to his home between 5:30 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Aaron Hanley, Bryan Hanley’s 18-year-old son, also had a preliminary exam in front of Fabrizio on June 7 and has been bound over to Circuit Court on one charge of felonious assault and one count of malicious destruction of property in the attack, and Cheryl Kempf, 41, Aaron Hanley’s mother, was also involved in the incident and will face trial on a simple assault charge in August in front of Fabrizio.
According to police reports, on April 30, a 19-year-old man from Holly and 18-year-old man from Clarkston contacted Aaron Hanley and said they wanted to meet him at the Ortonville Village Skate Park to talk to him about a 16-year-old Clarkston boy Aaron Hanley had beaten the day before. The 18- and 19-year-olds arrived with several young women. Aaron Hanley met them with several teens as well as his girlfriend, and suggested they go to Bloomer Park #3 on State Park Road because the Skate Park is patrolled regularly by police and no one is allowed in the park after closing time.
Both groups drove to the state park, and prior to their arrival, Bryan Hanley and Cheryl Kempf were contacted and drove to the park in their white minivan.
When the Clarkston group arrived and drove to the back of the park, Aaron and Bryan Hanley blocked the exit with their vehicles to prevent escape by the Clarkston teens.
Witnesses told police Bryan Hanley jumped out of the minivan and brandished a large wrench. He called the 18-year-old Clarkston man, who is black, a racial slur before striking him with the wrench. When he was on the ground, he was again beaten with the wrench, fists and feet until he was able to get up to flee. At that time, Bryan Hanley threw the wrench at him.
Aaron Hanley got out of the car he was in and wielded a wooden bat, with which he struck the 19-year-old Holly man in the head and then proceeded to punch and kick the victim while he was on the ground.
Cheryl Kempf punched one of the girls from Clarkston in the face, then ordered the pitbull terrier that she and Bryan Hanley had brought with them to attack the victims. The pitbull chased the victim that Aaron Hanley struck in the head to his car. The man was able to get in a car without being attacked by the dog.
The next court day for Bryan Hanley and Aaron Hanley is scheduled for 11 a.m., June 15, in front of Sixth Judicial Circuit Court Chief Judge Wendy L. Potts.