Sen. Rand Paul Is in 'Considerable' Pain After Allegedly Being Assaulted by a Neighbor
Republican Sen. Rand Paul has 5 rib fractures after allegedly being assaulted by a neighbor at his home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, according to multiple reports.
According to CNN, Kentucky State Troopers say that Paul’s neighbor, anesthesiologist and pain specialist Rene Boucher, “intentionally assaulted” the onetime presidential candidate. They also added that Boucher “admitted going onto Paul’s property and tackling him.” A motive for the alleged assault has not yet been determined.
The Associated Press reported that a senior staffer for the senator said his rib fractures include three displaced fractures and bruised lungs. Senior adviser Doug Stafford also told CNN that “displaced rib fractures can lead to life-threatening injuries” such as “pneumonia, internal bleeding, laceration of internal organs and lung contusions.”
Paul’s staff further told the network that they are unsure when Paul will be able to return to Washington: “This type of injury is caused by high velocity severe force. It is not clear exactly how soon he will return to work, as the pain is considerable as is the difficulty in getting around, including flying.”?
PEOPLE’s calls to the Kentucky State Police were not immediately returned.
On Sunday morning, the senator addressed the alleged assault on Twitter.
“?Kelley and I appreciate the overwhelming support after Friday’s unfortunate event,” Paul wrote. “Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.”
Kelley and I appreciate the overwhelming support after Friday’s unfortunate event. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) November 5, 2017
A spokesperson for the Warren County Jail told PEOPLE that Boucher is currently facing 4th degree minor assault charges, but as CNN reported, assaulting a member of Congress is a federal crime, which could lead to more severe charges.
In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the Warren County Jail also confirmed that Boucher was released from jail on Saturday on a $7,500 bond. His next court date is scheduled for Thursday.
According to the Bowling Green Daily News, Boucher is the inventor of the Therm-a-Vest, a cloth vest designed to relieve back pain.
