SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man is facing a felony charge for allegedly hitting another man in the head with a baseball bat.

Richard Kainoua Borja is charged with aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm. Borja is also being prosecuted for using a deadly weapon during a commission of a crime, according to tAhe criminal complaint.

Borja is accused of hitting the man during a verbal altercation that turned physical on Jan. 12 in the 300 block of East David Thompson Road in Hope. Borja found the man was removing property from a residence and ordered him to leave, according to a probable cause affidavit.

When the man refused, Borja allegedly hit him in the side of the head, which raised a lump on his skull and tore the man’s scalp. The man was also bleeding extensively when he was interviewed by a Bonner County sheriff’s deputy.

Borja, 36, was read his rights under Miranda and admitted striking the man in the head. Borja said the man was aggressive and known to carry a knife, the affidavit said.

Borja made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Tuesday. Judge Barbara Buchanan sustained Borja’s $25,000 bail, appointed a public defender to represent him and entered an order prohibiting him from contacting the alleged victim, court records indicate.

Borja’s criminal record in Idaho consists of a drunken driving conviction and traffic violations, according to the Idaho Supreme Court Data Repository.

An aggravated battery conviction in Idaho is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The sentencing enhancement would add another 15 years to the sentence if convicted.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.