LYNDEBOROUGH — What officials are calling a “negligent discharge” of a firearm at the conclusion of a day-long hunting trip Saturday in the woods of Lyndeborough left one of the men with a leg injury they described as serious, but not life-threatening.

The hunters — Gary Ciardelli, 82, of Wilton, and Kenneth Simpson, 83, of Lyndeborough — were walking back to their vehicle as the sun was setting, and at some point Simpson began unloading his .300 Remington Model 722, a bolt action hunting rifle, according to state Fish and Game conservation Officer Thomas Houghton of the agency’s Region Four office in Keene.

But Simpson, according to Houghton, “failed to remove all of the rounds from the rifle,” and when he placed it into the vehicle, a round remaining in the chamber was fired.

The bullet “traveled across the passenger side of the vehicle” and struck Ciardelli, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, Houghton said.

The bullet went through one of Ciardelli’s legs and “continued through the driver’s side door,” he said.

Simpson provided first aid to Ciardelli, then drove to the Wilton Ambulance Service headquarters on Forest Road in Wilton.

There, emergency medical technicians provided additional treatment to Ciardelli, then transported him via ambulance to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua.

Houghton said Ciardelli received treatment at the hospital and was later released.

The initial call came in to the Milford Area Communications Center, known as “MACC Base,” and the dispatcher who fielded the call forwarded it to the State Police dispatch center, Houghton said.

State police then notified the regional Fish & Game office about the incident. Houghton didn’t specify the area of Lyndeborough, or the nearest road, where the incident occurred.

In addition to Wilton EMS and state police, Fish & Game conservation officers were assisted by Wilton and Milford police, Houghton said.

He also said all aspects of the incident remain under investigation, and didn’t indicate whether charges may be forthcoming.

Houghton is asking anyone who may have more information regarding the incident to contact him at 271-3361 or call state police at 852-3411.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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