A neighbor of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., intends to plead guilty to a federal felony charge after he tackled the senator in November in an attack set off by the placement of a pile of brush, the man’s lawyer said Friday.
The neighbor, Rene Boucher, 58, of Bowling Green, Ky., was charged Friday with assaulting a member of Congress resulting in personal injury, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Josh Minkler, said in a news release.
Boucher has signed a plea agreement and will plead guilty, but no date has been set for his court appearance, his lawyer, Matthew Baker, said in a phone interview. Federal prosecutors will seek a prison sentence of up to 21 months, Baker said, adding that he would seek probation for his client. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The episode occurred Nov. 3, when Paul was mowing his yard while wearing headphones, officials said.
Boucher saw Paul stack brush in a pile near their property line, and Boucher “had enough,” according to the release. He ran onto Paul’s property and tackled him.
He suffered several broken ribs and bruises to his lungs. One of Paul’s advisers, Doug Stafford, told The New York Times in November that Paul had cuts to his nose and mouth and had trouble breathing. He attributed the injuries to “high-velocity severe force.”
Paul later contracted pneumonia and had to seek medical treatment. He returned to work 10 days after the attack.
The attack against Paul was not politically motivated, Baker said, adding that it was “a matter that most people would regard as trivial.” The dispute has been a long-standing difference between the two, who have been neighbors for 17 years, Baker said.
He said Boucher is “very meticulous” about how he maintains his property, while Paul “has a little bit of a different approach.” The lawns in the gated community of River Green are “picture perfect,” Baker said, adding that the senator maintains piles of compost and lawn clippings.