Additional charges not likely in assault case

DAYTON–A 20-year-old Dayton man, in custody in the Columbia County Jail, may not have additional charges filed against him following an October 5 assault incident in which the victim later died.

Adrian Michael Kennedy, of 700 S. 5th Street, Apt. B305, is lodged in jail on a third-degree assault charge after he allegedly assaulted Mary Anne Maier, 69, of Dayton. Maier died in a Portland, Ore., hospital on October 12, 2022.

“Based upon the information we’ve received,” said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney April King this week, “we can’t prove definitely that her death was caused by the assault.

“At this point, we don’t anticipate amending the charges upward,” King said. A possible charge could be manslaughter, if it could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Kennedy’s actions caused Maier’s death, King said.

According to court information, Maier was walking out the back gate of the Knoblock Apartment complex when she saw Kennedy walking his dog, which, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office report, was not on a leash. After a verbal confrontation, Maier alleged that Kennedy struck her in the face and she went down to the ground.

Kennedy alleged that Maier pushed him initially and he reacted by hitting her.

A witness stated that Kennedy threw the first punch, the police report stated.

Deputies took Kennedy into custody on October 12.