LIBERTY — A Missouri man who was in the Mahoning Valley working on gas station canopies was arrested early Friday at a Liberty hotel after a co-worker told 911 dispatchers that the man pistol-whipped him.

William R. Shelton, 32, 16658 Lawrence Road, Marionville, Mo., is facing a second-degree charge of felonious assault and a third-degree charge of having weapons under disability because of a prior felony conviction.

Shelton made an initial appearance Friday morning in Girard Municipal Court, where bond was set at $10,000. Court records show that if Shelton makes bond, he would be required to undergo electronically monitored house arrest and have no contact with the alleged victim. He was released from the jail around 2:30 p.m. Friday.

A preliminary hearing for Shelton is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday in Girard court.

The arrest came after Liberty police officers were dispatched to Comfort Suites, 201 Perni Lane, to investigate an assault.

The victim, identified as a 25-year-old Marionville, Mo., man, told a 911 dispatcher his boss had assaulted him. The Trumbull County 911 Center determined the assault occurred in room 330 of the hotel.

Officers met the victim in the hotel lobby shortly after 12:30 a.m. Officers noticed severe swelling on the left side of the victim’s face, and there were blood stains on his shirt and pants. There were also two bumps on his head, the report states.

The man told officers the boss, identified in the police report as Shelton, had pistol whipped him “like three times.”

The victim was treated at the scene by fire department personnel.

Officers went to Room 330 but were unsuccessful in getting Shelton, the police report states.

The officers called both Vienna and Girard police departments for backup, as Liberty officers again returned to the room. After giving commands to open up the room, Shelton complied and was taken into custody.

A search of the room turned up a black, .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun, the report states.

While talking to officers, Shelton denied there was any physical confrontation with his co-worker at the hotel. He did admit to getting into a fight at an unnamed bar earlier when the victim began acting “belligerent.” When questioned about the man’s injuries, Shelton said they resulted from the fight at the bar.

It was later learned, according to the police report, that Shelton was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he is a convicted felon.

The 911 report states the two men were in the Mahoning Valley because they were working on canopies at area gasoline stations.