By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A charge against an Alabaster man who allegedly used a “miniature novelty baseball bat” to assault his neighbor is headed to a Shelby County grand jury for consideration during an upcoming session, according to court records.

On March 19, Shelby County District Court Judge Dan Reeves bound one felony count of first-degree assault against Alabaster resident Fred McClendon Bohannon over to a grand jury to consider “at its next available session.”

The grand jury will review evidence in the case and determine if it will uphold the charge against Bohannon.

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Bohannon at about 2:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day and charged him with one felony count of first-degree assault. The arrest came after Bohannon allegedly used the miniature baseball bat to assault his neighbor after the two were involved in an argument over property lines, Alabaster Police Chief Curtis Rigney said previously.

Rigney said the victim in the case suffered “severe” injuries, leading to the first-degree assault charge.

According to court records, Bohannon was released from the Shelby County Jail on a $10,000 bond the day after he was arrested.

According to Alabama law, first-degree assault occurs when a person “with intent to cause serious physical injury to another person … causes serious physical injury to any person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.”

First-degree assault is a Class B felony. If convicted of the crime, Bohannon could face up to 20 years in prison.