PORT ANGELES — A Jefferson County man charged with second-degree murder in the May death of a Sequim man following an alleged assault has pleaded not guilty.
Aaron C. Fisher, 36, of Port Townsend, entered his plea on Friday during an arraignment hearing in Clallam County Superior Court. His trial date was set for Sept. 22 with a status hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 2.
Fisher was arrested July 23 in SeaTac and has been held since July 24 at the Clallam County Jail on $500,000 bond.
Fisher is accused of killing Richard G. Madeo, 70. Madeo died May 8 at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, two days after Fisher allegedly punched him in the face and knocked him unconscious, according to court documents.
Sequim police and Clallam County Fire District 3 responded about 12:25 p.m. on May 6 to the reported assault in the 500 block of West Washington Street near Westside Pizza, where Madeo was on the ground after the alleged fight, according to court documents.
Madeo was bleeding from the mouth, breathing while unconscious and had a fresh laceration to the back of his head, the probable cause statement said.
Fisher told Sequim Police Officer Stephanie Benes that he was walking across the driveway into the shopping plaza when Madeo drove up quickly and stopped about 1 to 2 feet away, and they exchanged hand gestures and shouting, according to court documents.
Madeo allegedly stopped the truck again, got out to confront Fisher, and Fisher punched him in the face.
“Where did you hit him?” Benes asked Fisher.
“Square in the chin,” Fisher responded, according to court documents. “I mean, I’ve been in a hundred fights. I know where, I mean. It was self-defense.”
When medics arrived, they transported Madeo for Life Flight, according to court documents. Later that evening, Harborview Medical Center advised that Madeo was on life support with a breathing machine and showed minimal brain activity, according to court documents.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
