Rand Paul's Alleged Attacker: His Neighbor

The man arrested and charged with assaulting and injuring Rand Paul is a neighbor and acquaintance of the Kentucky senator, reports the AP, though it's unclear how the two knew each other. A Kentucky State Police news release did not provide details of the assault or the nature of Paul's injury, but the arrest warrant says that Paul told police that Rene Boucher came onto Paul's property and tackled him from behind, reports the Bowling Green Daily News. Paul said he suffered facial and rib injuries, and had trouble breathing due to the latter. In a statement, Paul spokeswoman Kelsey Cooper said the Republican senator is "fine."

Boucher, of Bowling Green, is charged with fourth-degree assault with a minor injury, a misdemeanor. He is being held at Warren County's jail on $5,000 bond. Of note: The Daily News reports that Boucher is a anesthesiologist and pain specialist who invented the Therm-A-Vest, which is designed to relieve back pain. Kentucky State Police Master Trooper Jeremy Hodges said he could not release details of the assault because of security issues, but said Boucher would have faced more serious charges if he had used a weapon or if Paul had been injured seriously. "If he was using any type of a dangerous instrument, then it would have been a felony charge," Hodges said Saturday. (More Rand Paul stories.)