Anson stabbing victim leaves hospital against medical advice

An Anson man who was stabbed Saturday during an altercation on Front Street in that town left the intensive care unit of a Bangor hospital Tuesday against medical advice, authorities say.

Somerset County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Michael Mitchell said Thursday that detectives have been trying to locate James Andrew Tucci, 34, of Anson, to speak with him about the stabbing since he left Eastern Maine Medical Center.

“We would like to talk to him and get his statement,” Mitchell said Thursday morning. “He is the victim of a crime.”

Mitchell said officials also would need Tucci to release his medical records.

Tucci was listed in critical condition Sunday after being stabbed in the neck late Saturday, according to Mitchell.

“He was interested in pursuing charges against (Dustyn Everett) Merrill,” he said.

Dustyn Everett Merrill

On Thursday Merrill, 35 of Anson, remained in Somerset County Jail on $5,000 bail after being arrested in connection with the stabbing and being charged with aggravated assault. He made his initial appearance Monday in Skowhegan District Court, Mitchell said.

At about 11:15 p.m. Saturday, Merrill allegedly stabbed Tucci in the neck area with a utility knife at an apartment at 7 Front St. in Anson, according to Mitchell.

Mitchell said early Sunday afternoon that Tucci was taken by Anson Madison Ambulance Service to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan after the stabbing and then was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Mitchell said the Somerset Regional Communications Center in Skowhegan received a 911 call late Saturday and sheriff’s department Cpl. Joseph Jackson and deputies Tyler Lafreniere and Stacey Slate went to the scene.

State Police were called to help and the Major Crimes Unit responded, according to Mitchell.

Mitchell said neither Tucci nor Merrill lives at the apartment where the stabbing occurred, but both live within walking distance of that location on Front Street, which is off Main Street.

He said that he understood Tucci had 50 to 60 staples (metal sutures) in his neck and chest area injuries when he checked himself out of the Bangor hospital Tuesday. Mitchell said he did not know the extent of his injuries, but there was a significant amount of blood at the scene of the stabbing.