BRIGHTON (WXYZ) — Marcus Wayne Nichols, 33, was already facing multiple charges including third-degree criminal sexual conduct for his alleged crimes involving a teenager, and now Nichols is facing two new charges after he allegedly tried to run down the mother of his alleged victim and another woman with his vehicle.
Nichols lives with his parents in the same Genoa Township neighborhood where the alleged victim lives with her family.
Nichols had been released from jail on the sex assault case after posting $25,000 (10% of $250,000).
Then last week Wednesday, the teen's mother and another woman told investigators that they were walking in the neighborhood when Nichols was driving and accelerated as he drove right at them.
The women said they had to jump out of the way and that Nichols was "smiling and grinning" when he did it.
Nichols was then charged with two counts of Felonious Assault, and when law enforcement officers went to arrest him over the weekend, they said Nichols refused to come out.
Neighbors said police officers, troopers and sheriff's deputies surrounded the house for hours before Nichols was eventually taken into custody.
Nichols was, again, allowed to post 10% of $250,000 to be released and that prompted prosecutors to file an emergency motion in hopes of revoking his bond.
In their motion to Judge Michael Hatty, prosecutors wrote that despite being ordered to not engage in any new assaults, threatening, or harassing behavior, Nichols continues to be a danger to the public.
Prosecutors wrote that Nichols has a history of disobeying court orders and had been previously charged with domestic violence and witness intimidation in Ohio. That case was ultimately dismissed because the victim could not be found, according to prosecutors in Livingston county.
On Thursday, Jinan Hamood, one of Marcus Nichols's defense attorneys, released the following statement:
Marcus is innocent of all charges and should be presumed innocent under the law. Any individual can accuse another of committing a crime, but an accusation does not make someone a criminal.
The Court made the right decision regarding his bond after careful consideration of a variety of factors provided by both sides (prosecutor and defense). Larry (Margolis) and I will continue to vigorously defend Marcus on these charges and against the Prosecutor’s ongoing attempts to revoke his bond. The presumption of innocence does not mean much when you are in jail before your trial even begins.
Both sides are expected to argue their cases regarding Nichols's bond at a motion hearing set for August 22 at 8:30 a.m.
