A preliminary hearing has been set for a man accused of beating a cyclist with a club.

David Fox's case was briefly addressed before Justice Jennifer Broderick in Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on Tuesday.

She scheduled a one-day preliminary hearing for March 20.

Fox, who wasn't in court Tuesday, was charged with assault and assault with a weapon by city police in July 2017.

A 71-year-old man was riding his bike in the area of Erskine Ave. around 11 a.m. on July 18, 2017 when he and a pickup driver began arguing, police said. It's alleged the driver hit the cyclist several times with a club.

Cellphone camera footage taken by a nearby business owner of the attack shows a man viciously hitting another man repeatedly with a small white club. The sound of the club hitting him was "sickening," the woman said at the time.

Police caught up to the driver about an hour later and arrested him. The cyclist was treated at Peterborough Regional Health Centre and release.

Themen did not know each other, police said.

A status hearing will be held for Fox on Feb. 6.