Though a Selma woman took measures to ensure her safety, her ex-boyfriend still allegedly attacked the 21-year-old Sunday morning.

Police arrested Kendall Stewart, 27, and charged him with domestic violence assault first-degree and criminal trespass.

“On July 26 at 10 a.m. in the 2000 block of Second Avenue, the subject went to confront his ex-girlfriend,” Sgt. Doug Stewart said. “During the course of the argument, he broke through the screen door in a heated rage.”

The victim told officers she feared for her life and got a knife to use for self-defense. Authorities said Kendall Stewart began to assault the 21-year-old female and she in turn poked him in the neck with the knife, which produced a slight cut.

“The subject took the knife from the victim,” Sgt. Stewart said. “He slashed her face and upper torso. The offender then left the residence.”

The police were notified and an officer was in the area. He spotted a vehicle matching the description given and performed a traffic stop. The officer found the knife used in the attack.

The Code of Alabama defines assault in the first degree as a person who “with intent to cause serious physical injury to another person, causes serious physical injury to any person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument;” “with intent to disfigure another person seriously and permanently, or to destroy, amputate or disable permanently a member or organ of his body, he causes such an injury to any person;” or “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to another person, and thereby causes serious physical injury to any person.”

The crime is a class-b felony. If Kendall Stewart is found guilty, he could face 10 to 20 years in prison because a deadly weapon was used in the incident. He could also have to pay a fine up to $30,000.