A felony charge has been filed against a soldier accused of beating an Uber driver in February.

Joseph Christopher Sime, 23, of the 100 block of Harold Avenue on Fort Bragg, was charged in March with misdemeanor assault, which occurred outside of Huske Hardware House Restaurant and Brewery on Hay Street just after 1 a.m. on Feb. 5.

Sime’s misdemeanor assault charge was dismissed and on Monday he was charged with assault inflicting serious bodily injury, which is a felony, an arrest warrant said. His bail was set at $10,000.

Uber driver Vernon Williams suffered a serious brain injury in the attack. Williams now has seizures, trouble talking, writing and walking, arrest documents said.

An Army spokesperson said Sime is an Army specialist stationed at Fort Bragg.

Williams, 56, told eight clients he met at the restaurant that he could only seat six of them. Sime and Williams then got into an argument.

An arrest warrant said Sime punched Williams in the head, which caused Williams to fall. Two off-duty Fayetteville Police Department officers working security at the restaurant broke up the disturbance, but were unable to file charges against Sime because they did not witness the punch, police said.

Williams was advised by police to go to the Cumberland County Magistrate’s Office and file misdemeanor assault charges. The next day, a police spokesman said Williams went to the Police Department and filed a report.

In late March, a police spokesman said Williams’ wife contacted officers to report that her husband had suffered a traumatic brain injury in the attack. The spokesman previously told The Fayetteville Observer that Williams’ injuries were listed as “minor” in the initial police report Williams filed the day after the attack.

Staff writer Monica Vendituoli can be reached at vendituolim@fayobserver.com or 486-3596.