A Hartland man who allegedly hit another man in the face with a tire iron, breaking his nose and causing injuries that could result in blindness in one eye, was charged with elevated aggravated assault.

Devin W. Gould, 32, was arrested Aug. 21, 2025, by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, after another Hartland man, Joshua Washburn, 39, went to Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield after the alleged assault, according to an affidavit filed in court by Somerset County Deputy Wilfred Dodge.

Washburn told police on Aug. 11, 2025, Gould had kicked in the front door at a Seekins Avenue home in Hartland, entered his room yelling and looking for his girlfield, and attacked him with a tire iron. Washburn was hit in the face and body several times. Washburn said Gould accused him of “fooling around” with his girlfriend the previous night. He said Gould had also punched him in the face and left the previous night.

Washburn told police that he told Gould his girlfriend was not in the room, and Washburn picked up a baseball bat because he did not know if Gould was going to assault him with the tire iron. He said Gould told him he didn’t want to fight and just wanted his girlfriend. Washburn told police he put down his bat, turned away from Gould, and Gould hit him across his nose and eyes with the tire iron, then hit him several more times.

Washburn was taken from the Pittstfield hospital by Lifeflight of Maine helicopter to a hospital in Boston due to the extent of his injuries. The affidavit, written Aug. 21, 2025, states the attack broke Washburn’s nose, caused several facial fractures around his eyes and “… at this time (Washburn) might lose sight in his left eye.”

Gould initially denied knowing anything about the allegations when interviewed by police, according to Dodge’s affidavit, but when pressed later said he did punch Washburn twice, but denied anything else had happened.

Gould was indicted Dec. 11 by a Somerset County grand jury.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt but indicates enough evidence exists for a case to move a forward to trial.

Elevated aggravated assault is a Class A felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.