AUGUSTA — A city man is facing charges after reportedly pointing a gun at another man during a fight over a woman on Water Street, police said.

Steve Paul Morin, 23, is charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and assault. Morin was being held Friday at the Kennebec County jail on $260 cash bail.

Morin allegedly pointed a handgun at Christopher J. Reynolds, 26, of Augusta, as the two fought Thursday on Water Street, according to a court affidavit filed by police Officer Todd Nyberg. Reynolds was issued summons charging him with assault.

Police later learned that the gun, which Nyberg said was a .45-caliber pistol, was in fact a pellet gun. Safety markings indicating the weapon was not real, such as the orange tip on the barrel, had been removed, Nyberg said.

The fight broke out around 11 p.m. outside the apartment building Reynolds and Morin both live in at 38 Water St. Responding officers were told two men were fighting in the street and that one of them had a gun, Nyberg said.

Police found Morin lying in the middle of the street. He had a cut on his elbow and his face was red, apparently from being hit, Nyberg said. Augusta Rescue arrived shortly to take Morin to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta.

“Steven was upset and indicated that he could not breath and was hyperventilating,” Nyberg said. “Steven was still agitated and was not cooperative as I tried to ascertain what happened. Steven would strike the ground and swear as I attempted to speak to him.”

Morin’s mother, with whom he lives, told Nyberg that her son had been in a fight with Reynolds. Reynolds told Officer Brad Chase that he and Morin had fought over a woman who at one time dated Reynolds and is pregnant with his child. The woman is engaged to Morin and was in his apartment just before the fight broke out, Nyberg said.

Morin and Reynolds, whose apartment is below Morin’s, went outside at the same time, Nyberg said. The two exchanged words and then the confrontation turned physical.

“Chris indicated that when he pushed Steven away from him, Steven pulled a handgun from his waist band and struck Chris over the head with it,” Nyberg said. “Chris stated that when he saw the gun it startled him and he thought the gun was real.”

Reynolds said he feared for his life until Morin hit him over the head with the gun, Nyberg said.

“When he was struck, Chris realized that the gun was plastic and not real,” Nyberg said. “Chris stated that he and Steven began exchanging punches until the altercation was broken up by several neighbors.”

Nyberg said Morin dropped the gun during the fight and his mother picked it up and returned with it to her apartment. She led police to the gun when they asked her about it, Nyberg said.

Morin denied that the gun was his, but said he had one identical to it disassembled in his room. Nyberg followed him to the MaineGeneral emergency room. While there Morin got a text message. When Nyberg opened the phone and closed out of the message, there was a picture of Morin holding the pistol, Nyberg said.

Nyberg said Morin told him it was an old photo.

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com