A neighbor dispute in Saluda has ended with one man’s conviction of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

Bill Benjamin Williams, 58, of 15 Wolf Mtn. Trail was originally charged with attempted murder after being accused of shooting at his neighbor in September 2011.
Williams’ trial was held last Wednesday, Aug. 15 during Polk County Superior Court where he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and communicating threats, according to Polk County Superior Court records.
A jury found him not guilty of attempted first-degree murder.
Last Thursday, Aug. 16, Williams was sentenced to 25 to 39 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections, which was suspended for him to serve 24 months of supervised probation, according to court records.
Williams had been held at the Polk County Jail awaiting trial for 249 days, according to court records.
The victim’s wife videotaped the incident, which was part of the evidence submitted last week.
The victim claimed that he came up the driveway after work and Williams had painted derogatory signs in the driveway, according to an affidavit. The victim said he took a hoe to scrape the paint off and Williams came out of his house pointing a pistol at him and fired off a couple of shots at his feet.
The victim’s affidavit said that Williams threatened to kill him by warning him to stop removing the paint then charged at the victim with the pistol, grabbed his garden hoe and fired around his feet.
Williams was also ordered not to assault, threaten, harass the victim or send any written harassing or threatening messages by signage or posting.