COVINGTON — James Bonar was ordered to appear before a grand jury on an attempted murder charge after a June 25 stabbing at a Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken in Covington. Bonar faces an attempted murder charge in connection with the incident.

During a June 30 hearing in Kenton County District Court, Judge Douglas Grothaus ruled there was enough evidence to refer the case to a grand jury. Bonar is accused of cutting a restaurant manager across the neck with a steak knife and stabbing him twice in the back, according to Covington police Det. Adam Uhl.

The confrontation began when the manager told Bonar to leave the restaurant on Scott Street. Bonar had been lingering inside the establishment without purchasing anything, Uhl said. An argument followed, leading the manager to instruct Bonar to exit the premises.

Bonar left the restaurant with the manager and another employee following behind him. After leaving the building, Bonar spat on the manager and attacked him, according to the detective. Bonar told police the manager attempted to punch him but missed. Bonar stated to police that he pulled a steak knife from his pocket and "slit his throat."

The manager required more than 10 stitches to close the neck wound. A brawl between Bonar and the manager continued across the street, during which the manager struck Bonar multiple times, Uhl said. Bonar then stabbed the manager twice in the back before fleeing to the neighboring Kenton County Public Library branch.

Officers arrested Bonar at the library branch. Neither Bonar nor his public defender made statements about the case in court. Bonar is being held at the Kenton County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond pending trial.