A Milwaukee man has been charged with intentionally hitting a bartender with his car after he was told not to bring his dog into a Greenfield tavern.

Kenneth D. Keaton, 50, faces a felony count of hit-and-run causing injury after a March encounter with the bartender, at the Fin n’ Feather, 4060 W. Loomis Road. He is not in custody, according to online court records.

According to the criminal complaint:

Keaton had already spent some time in the bar on March 14 and was being loud and disruptive before trying to bring his dog into the building, the bartender later told police. When he showed up with a dog, the worker told Keaton he had to keep it in his car.

After some time passed, the bartender thought Keaton might have intentionally damaged his car, so he went outside to get Keaton’s license plate. He walked within five feet of Keaton’s car when Keaton “gunned it” and accelerated at the bartender.

The car struck the bartender, who flew up onto the hood and injured his elbow. The vehicle then sped off.

Witnesses provided the license plate number to police and the bartender later identified Keaton through a photo array of possible suspects.

Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12.