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Influencer and ex-Viner Hayes Grier arrested after assault that left man with brain damage

He was released after posting bail and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

Photo of Alexandra Samuels

Alexandra Samuels

hayes grier in 2016

Social media influencer Hayes Grier was arrested on Friday after brutally beating up a man and stealing his phone. 

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According to TMZ, Grier—a former “Dancing With the Stars” contestant—was booked in a Charlotte, North Carolina jail after a warrant was issued to extradite him from his Encino, California home. The 21-year-old faces charges of felony conspiracy, common law robbery, and assault causing serious bodily injury. 

Grier is accused of assaulting William Markolf, who reportedly sustained a broken left orbital bone, brain damage, bruised ribs, head trauma, and hearing loss from the attack. Grier and a co-conspirator, who has not been arrested yet, are also accused of stealing Markolf’s $1,200 cell phone. 

According to The Charlotte Observer, Grier posted bail and is due to appear in court at 9 am on Monday. It’s unclear if he will appear in California or North Carolina. 

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Grier and his brother, Nash, gained fame on the now-defunct video-sharing app, Vine. He currently has over 882,000 YouTube subscribers and over 5 million Instagram followers. 

Grier is also the younger brother of backup Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Will Grier.


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