By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypos.com

SALISBURY — A Salisbury man faces aggravated assault charges after a dispute over a beer can that was tossed in a North Ellis Street yard.

The Salisbury Police Department says the man beat another man with a club after he littered his front lawn.

Ervin Lee Owens, 52, of the 600 block of North Ellis Street, was charged with the misdemeanor offense early Wednesday morning. He was released on a written promise to appear in court.

Police officials said Owens had put a trash can on his porch because people often are at his house and he didn’t want cans thrown in the yard.

The victim of the assault, Jeffery Stover, 55, threw a beer can in Owens’ yard, police said.

Owens grabbed a wooden club that had a screw on the end and began beating Stover, police said.

Stover had minor injuries and was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released.

Owens has previous convictions for driving while his license was revoked, failure to register as a sex offender, taking indecent liberties with a child, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony possession of a controlled substance.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.