WATERVILLE — The man who was seriously injured during an attack June 23 on May Street that happened amid a brawl involving dozens of people has stopped cooperating with authorities, so no criminal charges will be pursued by police.

The 27-year-old man, whose identity the police have not made public, suffered a broken nose and a fractured eye socket and had stitches on his lip and above his eye. He was released from the hospital a day after the attack and initially was cooperating with police, who had planned to pursue felony charges of aggravated assault against the attackers.

This apartment building at 4 May St. in Waterville was the scene of a fight June 23 in which a 27-year-old man was seriously injured. Staff file photo by David Leaming

However, Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey, of the Waterville Police Department, said Thursday that the victim has stopped cooperating with police, so no charges will be pursued. At least two possible suspects had been identified by police during an investigation that involved interviews with people who were there, Rumsey said.

Rumsey said the outcome is disappointing to police, because “we did spend time and effort in the investigation.”

Police were sent to the apartment at 4 May St. shortly before 4 a.m. June 23 in response to a report of a brawl involving 20 to 30 people. According to investigators, the man who was injured was found unconscious and was taken to MaineGeneral’s Thayer Center for Health in Waterville.

Many people involved in the fight fled on foot when police arrived. Others cooperated to varying levels when police detained and questioned them, Rumsey has said.

Police’s best guess about the origin of the fight is that the victim had been suspected of assaulting someone several years ago, and the attack on him June 23 was retribution for that previous incident, Rumsey said.

Neighbors have said the apartment where the brawl occurred is the scene of regular rowdy and disruptive drinking parties that can last into the morning. Waterville police have gone to the address numerous times to deal with fights and loud-noise complaints. They made a drug raid on the apartment in February.

Rumsey said Thursday that problems persist at the 4 May St. apartment. He noted an arrest police made there July 3, charging apartment tenant Maxim Turmelle, 25, with disorderly conduct.

“Issues continue there,” Rumsey said. “We’ll continue to patrol the area.”

Related Stories