The "trivial" dispute that culminated in Sen. Rand Paul suffering five cracked ribs and a bruised lung was over yard waste, a neighbor told CNN.
The Kentucky Republican and the neighbor who allegedly blindsided Paul while he was mowing his lawn, Rene Boucher, have been "quibbling" for years about grass clippings and leaves blowing into each other's lawns, CNN reported.
"It was a very regrettable dispute between two neighbors over a matter that most people would regard as trivial," Boucher's attorney Matthew Baker said in a statement.
Boucher was charged with fourth degree misdemeanor assault and bonded out after posting $7,500 bail.
However, law enforcement is mulling upgrading the charges to a felony given the seriousness of Paul's injuries, The Washington Post reported.