A Michigan adult soccer league referee died Tuesday morning after a player allegedly punched him in the head during a soccer match in Livonia.

The referee, John Bieniewicz, 44, was reportedly attacked by Baseel Abdul-Amir Saad, 36, after the former had ejected him during the game at Mies Park on Livonia on Sunday, the prosecutor's office said.

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Livonia police chief Curtis Caid said that the victim was rushed to the Detroit Receiving Hospital in critical condition after the he was rendered unconscious and discovered to have not been breathing from the blow.

Saad had reportedly raised his middle finger to crowd after the incident.

Local authorities detained Saad under a $500,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty to charges of "assault with intent to do great bodily harm."

Investigations are still underway but authorities expect the charges against Saad to change after the death of the victim.

"The charges will be reviewed and amended when appropriate confirmations are made and other necessary documentation is received," said a spokesperson from the prosecutor's office.

An autopsy will also be performed by the Wayne County Medical Examiner's office to determine the victim's cause of death.

The hearing is scheduled on July 10.

Friends of the Bieniewicz put up a website in his name to help raise money for his family.

The website said that it was likely Bieniewicz's wife and two sons, aged 13 and 9, would feel the financial burden with the sudden death of the family's breadwinner.

The website described Bieniewicz as a man who lived as if there was no tomorrow and spent some time helping the children at the dialysis center at Mott Children's Hospital.

"He had a passion for his family, a passion for the kids at Mott Children's Hospital, and a passion for soccer," it read.

Last year, a similar incident occurred when a 17-year-old soccer player was sentenced to three years in juvenile prison for assaulting a referee that led to his death.

As part of his sentence, the judge ordered the teen to post a photo of Ricardo Portillo - the victim - in his cell as a daily reminder to motivate him to change his ways. Additionally, the judge also directed him to write to Portillo's family to give weekly updates on his progress towards a better life, CNN reported.

TagsJohn Bieniewicz, Baseel Abdul-Amir Saad, Wayne County, Mott Children's Hospital, Ricardo Portillo, Livonia, Sports