Hunter shoots half his face off with rifle as he recalls exploits with friends as they shared a bottle of whiskey
A 31-year-old man is
recovering in hospital after accidentally blowing away the bottom part
of his face as he visited friends in Maine on Wednesday.
Dale Poulin, of Waterville, was drinking whiskey and sharing hunting stories with friends when the high-powered rifle he had resting under his chin went off.
The force of the bullet tore off his entire face from below the nose and scattered bone and flesh across the floor, according to police who said Mr Poulin was still conscious when they arrived.
According to police Mr Poulin had arrived at his friends' apartment with a bottle of whiskey and later went outside to retrieve his .270-caliber rifle from his pick up truck, thinking it was unloaded.
Mr Poulin was found in a pool of blood. His chin was on the floor and blood, teeth and skin were everywhere according to Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey.
'It’s one of those things where you mix alcohol and weapons and start to do very unsafe things, and you end up with a tragedy,' Chief Massey told the Bangor Daily News.
The
31-year-old's friends tried to staunch the mass of blood flowing from Mr
Poulin's head and he was still responsive when police spoke to him in
the apartment.
'It was a very chaotic scene to go to, with people outside screaming,' Chief Massey said.
He added that the residents of the apartment were known to police but said no foul play was suspected.
Mr Poulin was still sat in a chair in the home when police arrived, and had the rifle between his knees.
There was a bullet hole through the cap he was wearing. After shooting through his jaw and hat, the bullet traveled through the ceiling and into an attic space.
'It was one of those cases which clearly involved carelessness, passing a rifle around, and no one made sure, obviously, it was not loaded,' Chief Massey said.
'Then they do something as careless as putting the rifle under their chin and pulling the trigger.'
After being rushed to Maine General Hospital, Mr Poulin was airlifted to Portland for emergency surgery.
'His vital signs are good, although he will need reconstructive surgery for his facial wounds,' Mr Poulin's father, Donald, told the Portland Press Herald.
He added that his son, who was not suicidal, cannot speak but has been communicating by writing on a notepad.
In one note Mr Poulin, who had been out hunting earlier in the day, told his father he had accidentally dropped the rifle and hadn't realized it was loaded.
'He told me he dropped the rifle. He wrote it on the notepad. He said, "Dad, I just dropped the rifle and it accidentally discharged",' the victim's father told the Morning Sentinel.
Dale Poulin, of Waterville, was drinking whiskey and sharing hunting stories with friends when the high-powered rifle he had resting under his chin went off.
The force of the bullet tore off his entire face from below the nose and scattered bone and flesh across the floor, according to police who said Mr Poulin was still conscious when they arrived.
According to police Mr Poulin had arrived at his friends' apartment with a bottle of whiskey and later went outside to retrieve his .270-caliber rifle from his pick up truck, thinking it was unloaded.
Mr Poulin was found in a pool of blood. His chin was on the floor and blood, teeth and skin were everywhere according to Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey.
'It’s one of those things where you mix alcohol and weapons and start to do very unsafe things, and you end up with a tragedy,' Chief Massey told the Bangor Daily News.
'It was a very chaotic scene to go to, with people outside screaming,' Chief Massey said.
Recovery: Dale Poulin will need reconstructive surgery
He added that the residents of the apartment were known to police but said no foul play was suspected.
Mr Poulin was still sat in a chair in the home when police arrived, and had the rifle between his knees.
There was a bullet hole through the cap he was wearing. After shooting through his jaw and hat, the bullet traveled through the ceiling and into an attic space.
'It was one of those cases which clearly involved carelessness, passing a rifle around, and no one made sure, obviously, it was not loaded,' Chief Massey said.
'Then they do something as careless as putting the rifle under their chin and pulling the trigger.'
After being rushed to Maine General Hospital, Mr Poulin was airlifted to Portland for emergency surgery.
'His vital signs are good, although he will need reconstructive surgery for his facial wounds,' Mr Poulin's father, Donald, told the Portland Press Herald.
He added that his son, who was not suicidal, cannot speak but has been communicating by writing on a notepad.
In one note Mr Poulin, who had been out hunting earlier in the day, told his father he had accidentally dropped the rifle and hadn't realized it was loaded.
'He told me he dropped the rifle. He wrote it on the notepad. He said, "Dad, I just dropped the rifle and it accidentally discharged",' the victim's father told the Morning Sentinel.
His son will need reconstructive surgery.
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