If convicted he could face up to three years in jail and a $100,00 fine

Funnyman Channing arrested on two counts of felony menacing

Sheriff's deputies 'feared for their lives' even thought object was yellow

for pointing a banana at two deputies

Wrong crowd: Nathen Channing, 27, face felony charges after pointing a banana at two deputies

A man is facing felony menacing charges after pointing a banana at two police officers.

Nathen Channing, 27, of Fruitvale, Colorado, was arrested Sunday after two sheriff's deputies believed the yellow fruit aimed in their direction was a gun.

Mesa County deputies Joshua Bunch and Donald Love said they 'feared for their lives' even though they saw that the object was yellow.

Mr Channing was arrested on two counts of felony menacing.

If convicted, he could face one to three years in prison and a fine of between $1,000 and $100,000.

Deputy Bunch had been driving in Mesa County when he noticed Mr Channing on the sidewalk, an arrest affidavit states.

He says he saw Mr Channing 'reach into the left side of his coat and pull out a yellow object, pointing it into the air then in my direction as I approached him,'Fox 31 Denver reports.

Deputy Bunch sped off, believing Mr Channing to have drawn a weapon, and radioed his fellow deputy, who was driving behind him, to warn him.

Returning to the scene, Bunch says he saw Love approach Mr Channing as he pointed the same object at him.

According to the arrest affidavit written by Deputy Bunch, Deputy Love 'observed what appeared to be a yellow tube with a black center'.

'Deputy Love stated he was in fear for his life at this point and was in the process of pulling out his handgun when Nathen yelled, "It's a banana!",' Bunch wrote.

Deputy Bunch added that he also believed the banana to be a handgun 'based on training and experience'.

The deputies say Channing told them he was doing a trial run for a planned YouTube video and he thought it would 'lighten the holiday spirit.'