A 25-year-old Bay City thrift store owner was charged by law enforcement officers with two felonies for allegedly striking a teenager in the back of his head with a shovel on Sept. 5 around 4:54 p.m. There were conflicting witness reports. Some indicated that the defendant acted without provocation while others told officers the business owner was either acting in self-defense or in defense of his pregnant girlfriend when he struck the other man.

According to authorities, the defendant told them he saw the man and three others running towards him as he locked up his thrift store. He indicated he recognized the man he struck from prior incidents. The defendant claimed the men surrounded him, and he struck the other man in self-defense. He also indicated his pregnant girlfriend had arrived at the store, and at least one man began attacking her, causing the defendant to go to her aid by striking the man with a shovel.

The injured man was out of custody on bond for a separate felony assault with a deadly weapon case at the time of the incident. His own felony case is still pending, and his charges are related to his actions in a road rage incident earlier in the year.

When a person is charged in a felonious assault, they might consider working with an attorney who is familiar with criminal defense cases. That attorney may be able to develop criminal defense strategies that may be applicable to the client’s case. If those strategies are successful, the defendant may be able to seek an acquittal or avoid excessive sentencing..

Source: MLIve.com, “Bay City man arraigned on felony charges in connection with alleged shovel assault”, Cole Waterman, October 07, 2014