WATERVILLE — The man police said accidentally shot part of his face off last week with a high-powered hunting rifle is reportedly is improving at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Dale Poulin’s landlord, Roy Strahan, of Winslow, said Wednesday that he had spoken earlier with Poulin’s father, Donald Poulin, who said his son had undergone plastic surgery.

“His eye appears to be OK and he’s doing a lot better,” Strahan said. “He communicates with his dad with his writing.”

Dale Poulin was listed in fair condition and remained in the intensive care unit, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday evening.

Dale Poulin, 31, of Ash Street, was visiting with friends around 9 p.m. Nov. 6 at 218 College Ave. and exchanging hunting stories when he apparently went outside and returned with a .270-caliber hunting rifle, police Chief Joseph Massey said after the incident. At one point, he put the barrel of the rifle under his chin and pulled the trigger, Massey said. He said Dale Poulin believed the gun was unloaded and police determined the shooting was accidental and not an attempted suicide.

Massey also said that when Dale Poulin initially went to the apartment, he arrived with a bottle of whiskey.

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Donald Poulin, of Winslow, said from the hospital the day after the shooting that his son was in stable condition; he also said his son had been hunting the day of the shooting. A message left on Donald Poulin’s cellphone Wednesday afternoon was not returned.

Bill Colby, who lives next door to that apartment, said he was on the second floor of his own apartment Nov. 6 and heard a loud bang. Colby, 52, said he did not know what had happened, but shortly thereafter, a lot of police officers appeared outside. Colby then learned about the shooting, he said.

“I saw the end results a couple days after,” Colby said Wednesday night at his apartment. “I helped clean it up. That wasn’t a pretty sight.”

Colby said he had met Dale Poulin and knew he loved to hunt, but they are only acquaintances.

Meanwhile, Strahan said he has rented an apartment to Dale Poulin for a few years and that Poulin is “a nice guy.”

“He’s always treated me with respect,” Strahan said. “He’s always taken care of things and didn’t cause any trouble. He’s generous. He gave me some deer meat. He’s always willing to share. He shoveled off the back porch that goes to the laundry room, in the wintertime.”

Strahan said he was not sure where Dale Poulin is employed.

Massey said Friday that the case will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office.

Amy Calder — 861-9247 acalder@centralmaine.com Twitter: @AmyCalder17


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