AUGUSTA — A city man has been charged with manslaughter for allegedly punching out another man who subsequently hit his head on pavement and died two weeks later from his injuries.

Warren Sidelinger

Warren L. Sidelinger, 42, of Augusta is facing a Class A manslaughter charge, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, in connection with the death of Joseph McKenna.

McKenna, 57, died on July 30 at Maine Medical Center in Portland, due to injuries he suffered in a July 18 attack by Sidelinger, according to an affidavit filed by Christopher Roy, an investigator with Maine State Police.

Sidelinger confessed he had assaulted McKenna, according to Roy’s affidavit. He told Augusta Detective Michael Unterkoefler that McKenna did something inappropriate with his niece, but did not provide details about what McKenna allegedly did, or identify his niece. He told police he had seen McKenna earlier the day of the assault, at the soup kitchen, and told him he was “on my list.”

Later that day, Warren told police he was walking on Water Street when he saw McKenna, and decided he was going to assault him.

Witnesses told police that Sidelinger punched McKenna, causing him to fall to the ground, and said the sound of McKenna’s head hitting the tar made a loud popping noise. One witness said they heard Sidelinger yell something about what McKenna owed him.

Video recordings from a Water Street apartment building were reviewed by police. The video, Roy wrote, shows a man later identified as Sidelinger approach McKenna and strike him in the face with what appeared to be a closed fist.

“The suspect appeared to punch Joseph with a significant amount of force, as your affiant observed the suspect winding up and using his momentum to punch Joseph in his facial area,” Roy’s affidavit states. “Joseph immediately falls backwards into the roadway striking the back of his head on the pavement. While Joseph is lying on his back, mostly motionless and likely unconscious, the suspect stands over him, bends forward at his waist and appears to yell at him. The male then uses his right foot/sneaker to strike/kick Joseph on the right side of his head/face.”

An officer who responded to the scene July 18 said McKenna’s eyes were partially open, his legs were stiffening straight out in a locked position, and his arm and leg muscles were frequently tensing and relaxing. There was a small amount of blood on his shirt, mouth and cheek.

McKenna was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta with head injuries. He was then taken by LifeFlight of Maine helicopter to Maine Medical Center.

An autopsy conducted by the state’s deputy chief medical examiner, Dr. Liam Funte, determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma and the manner of death as homicide.

McKenna’s obituary describes him as a very genuine person who enjoyed spending time with family and friends, taking walks and listening to music, and he loved animals.

Sidelinger was taken into custody July 20 after authorities, who had recognized him on the video surveillance footage, found him walking. He had an apparent injury to his hand at the time.

Sidelinger was being held at Kennebec County jail in Augusta on $15,000 bail. His court-appointed lawyer, John Pelletier, has filed a request to amend his bail to a lower amount he could post, which is scheduled for a court hearing Wednesday.