WATERVILLE — The Maine Warden Service says it has nearly completed its investigation into an apparent hunting accident that injured a Waterville man last week and will pass the case to the district attorney’s office for review, a process it referred to as normal procedure.

Wardens said that Reginald Jacques, 60, was shot in the face and arm by his wife, Janice Jacques, while the two were turkey hunting in China on May 5.

Reginald Jacques was hospitalized after the shooting, which happened in a wooded area off the Danforth road in China.

On Tuesday, Warden Service spokesman Cpl. John MacDonald said that Warden David Ross felt the investigation into the shooting was complete and would refer the case to the Kennebec County District Attorney’s office later this week.

“In any hunting incident involving a shooting, it is normal procedure to provide it to the DA’s office to make a determination,” MacDonald said.

Because the investigation is ongoing, he could not provide further details about the shooting.

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The couple were on their way to the hospital in their pickup truck at approximately 10:25 a.m. when they encountered a Winslow Police Officer conducting a traffic stop on Route 136. Emergency medical personnel and police converged on the scene to assist the couple, and Reginald Jacques was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta for treatment.

MacDonald said the circumstances in each hunting-related shooting is different, but they usually involve people who don’t know each other, not a husband and wife.

District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said on Tuesday that her office reviews cases when law enforcement wants to press charges, are uncertain if they should press charges, or want the case to be taken to a grand jury or another court procedure.

“The only reason I would look at it would be to determine whether to press criminal charges,” Maloney said.


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