An 18-year-old Monroe man now faces two felony charges after firing at least four shots from an AR-15 on I-71 near the Red Bank Road exit, the stretch of highway bordering Hyde Park and Oakley.

Aaron Phelan was arraigned July 27, in Hamilton County court on charges of aggravated menacing and discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises. A judge set bond at $100,000 on each charge with a 10 percent cash option, meaning Phelan would need to post $10,000 per charge to be released, according to court proceedings reported by FOX19.

No one was injured.

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said July 26, at the time of Phelan's arrest, that there was no indication individuals or vehicles were specifically targeted.

The incident began around 5 a.m. July 26, when the Sheriff's Office received 911 calls reporting a shirtless man with a rifle on I-71 Northbound between the Red Bank Road and Stewart Road exits. Deputies arrested Phelan at the scene and collected shell casings and live rounds from the highway.

Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Mike Keeling told the court that Phelan admitted to firing the weapon and claimed he believed people were trying to steal his car's engine.

"When they questioned him, he admits to shooting and says he was trying to shoot people who were trying to steal his car's engine," Keeling said. "Seems to be some mental health issue or something like that."

One 911 caller told dispatchers another driver initially pulled over because he thought Phelan was trying to harm himself. A second caller described a more alarming scene: "He laid down in a sniper position like he was gonna shoot at me," the caller told dispatchers.

Phelan's defense attorney, who was not named in court records, described him as a 2026 Monroe High School graduate, former standout football player, and current landscaping company employee with no prior criminal record. The attorney argued the incident may have involved involuntary intoxication and raised possible mental health issues as a defense.

The Sheriff's Office confirmed Sunday's shooting is not connected to the unsolved fatal shooting on I-71 on May 21.

Phelan's case is expected to go before a Hamilton County grand jury on August 5. Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.