A 30-year-old Oxford, Georgia, man faces charges of simple battery on a law enforcement officer after allegedly striking an off-duty Alpharetta police officer at a Milton Avenue bar on Sunday, Aug. 16.

The Alpharetta Police Department said bar security staff asked the man to leave after determining he was too intoxicated, Appen Media first reported. An off-duty officer working at the bar escorted him outside.

The man then tried to reenter the bar, according to police. The officer took the man's hand and led him away. The man slapped the officer's arm, prompting the officer to attempt an arrest.

He resisted.

The man allegedly refused commands and pulled away from the officer, police said. His shoulder was dislocated during the arrest. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A search after the arrest turned up a THC vaporizer, a baggie of suspected cocaine and a small plastic spoon, according to police.

The man was charged with simple battery of a law enforcement officer, criminal trespass and possession of a controlled substance. Police have not specified which substance triggered the possession charge.

Oxford is a small city in Newton County, about 35 miles east of Atlanta. The bar where the incident occurred has not been publicly identified, and police have not released the man's name.

What the charge means

Under Georgia law, simple battery against a police officer engaged in official duties is classified as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. That classification carries up to 12 months in jail and fines up to $5,000. Police accounts do not clarify whether the off-duty officer's work arrangement at the bar qualifies as official duties under the statute, which could affect how the charge is ultimately classified.

No court date has been announced.

Residents who witnessed the incident or have information can contact the Alpharetta Police Department at 678-297-6300.