AUGUSTA (WGME) — Police say an Augusta man has been charged with kicking a puppy last month on the Kennbec River Rail Trail.

Last month, Augusta police received a report that man running on the trail had kicked a 4-month-old puppy named Brewer.

Police met with a woman who reported that she was walking her dog on the Kennebec River Rail Trail, when she observed a male, she later identified as 45-year-old Michael Hein, jogging towards her.

Police say Hein approached her and her dog and after a brief exchange of words, Hein passed by her and kicked the dog. The dog sustained minor injuries.

Hein was a former administrator for the Christian Civic League of Maine. Police say he was summonsed last week and charged with animal cruelty.