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A 37-year-old man who reportedly broke into two Beaumont businesses and attacked a clerk with a hammer Nov. 16 was indicted for burglary of a building.

Beaumont police were initially called on Brian K. Ballard, a transient, because he was reportedly swinging a hammer at a woman at Red Roof Inn. He was described to police as a white male with tattoos on his face.

While officers were on the way to the scene, dispatch told them the man was breaking windows at the hotel, then hoped over the counter to chase a person. The woman locked herself in an office while Ballard reportedly tried to break down the door with the hammer.

The man was arrested, at which time an officer noticed an ATV parked in the parking lot. Officers learned Ballard was seen on security footage breaking into Cowboy Powersports, 1280 Interstate 10 in Beaumont and stole an ATV, according to court documents.

He was arrested on two counts of burglary of a building with $10,000 bond each and aggravated assault with bond at $75,000. He remains in the county jail.

An indictment is not a final conviction of guilt; it is only a ruling by the grand jury that allows the district attorney’s office to proceed with a criminal case.