A man accused of attacking Madison County board chairman Kurt Prenzler four months ago will face trial Aug. 14.
Matthew J. Foley, 37, of Edwardsville, faces felony charges in connection with the March 11 attack on Prenzler at a fundraiser at St. Mary and St. Mark Catholic Church in Madison.
Assistant state's attorney Jennifer Mudge is prosecuting Foley on a class 3 felony of threatening a public official and aggravated battery. He also was charged with misdemeanor battery.
Foley has pleaded not guilty, and requested a trial by jury.
Trial had been scheduled before Circuit Judge Kyle Napp on June 5, but was continued on a motion by Foley's attorney James A. Gomric of Belleville.
Foley is accused of conveying a threat "that would place Kurt Prenzler in reasonable apprehension of immediate or future bodily harm and the threat was made because of hostility of the defendant toward the position of Madison County Chairman of the Board..."
Prenzler's age was a factor in the aggravated battery charge. Foley is accused of making physical contact "of an insulting or provoking nature with Kurt Prenzler, a person 60 years of age or older in that said defendant placed his hands on the upper body and arm of Kurt Prenzler..."
A few days after the attack, the county issued a press release stating that Prenzler told police that at the church's annual Pig and Lamb event he was pushed and shoved by two men who then physically dragged him before a third man, where they continued to verbally threaten him.