BOULDER, Colo. -- A former cast member of the 1980s television show "Family Ties" faces a new assault charge for allegedly repeatedly hitting a friend with a broken wooden stool.

Brian Bonsall, 28, was arrested Saturday and appeared briefly in a Boulder courtroom Wednesday morning. Police said he was involved in a fight at an apartment in the 1100 block of 11th Street in Boulder on Saturday. The victim told police that Bonsall hit him with a part of a broken wooden stool.

Bonsall allegedly told officers he had been drinking that night and didn't remember what had happened but identified the man who called police as his "best friend." Police had been called to the residence three times before they arrested Bonsall.

Wednesday's hearing was originally scheduled for another case -- an alleged probation violation from a 2007 assault on his girlfriend. In that case, Bonsall had allegedly missed daily Breathalyzer tests, submitted a positive breath test, and failed to pay for domestic violence classes, according to prosecutors.

A judge postponed Wednesday's hearing to be able to consider charges from both cases at the same time.

Bonsall played Michael J. Fox's little brother Andy Keaton on the sitcom and lives in Westminster, about 20 miles south of Boulder. He is being held on two bonds totaling $7,500 and appeared in court wearing a red jumpsuit.

He lived in Boulder for several years and graduated from Boulder High in 2000. He had several run-ins with authorities after that, including a 2004 arrest for drunken driving and an arrest in 2007 for assaulting his girlfriend.