A Massachusetts police officer was placed on paid administrative leave by his department after being arrested in connection with an assault and battery case. Sgt. Scott Saunders of the Hull Police Department was arrested in Pembroke on July 24. In a statement, Hull Police Chief John Dunn said Saunders was off duty at the time of the incident.Saunders was charged with assault and battery causing injury to a victim who is over age 60.A police report prepared by a Pembroke officer indicates that Saunders is accused of assaulting his neighbor, Harry Horsley. When the officer spoke with Horsley, he noted several injuries including cuts and swelling on the man’s face. Horsley told police he was driving on Furnace Colony Drive toward the beach when Saunders struck his vehicle with a paddle board. According to the police report, that’s when Horsley said he pulled over and exited the vehicle.Horsley told officers that Saunders “sucker punched” him and threw him to the ground. According to the report, Horsley told police that Saunders straddled him while they yelled at each other before Saunders let him up and walked away. Horsley also said that a witness recorded video of the incident. Officers also interviewed Saunders, who told them he had past disputes with the neighbor and that the neighbor did not provide enough space for him as he drove past. Saunders said he pushed his neighbor to the ground after he raised his hand and punched him once in the face when Horsley began to raise his hand again. Saunders also provided home security video to the officers, who described it in the report. They wrote that Horsley appeared to allow adequate space as he drove past but shows Saunders “abruptly” struck Horsley’s vehicle with the paddle board, then put the board down and was “walking rapidly” toward Horsley’s car. Police wrote that Horsley’s hands did not appear to be raised before Saunders pushed him to the ground, and the video shows Saunders throwing one punch to Horsley’s face. Saunders was arrested after officers finished viewing the video, the report indicates. In addition to being placed on leave, Dunn said that the department took Saunders’ badge and service weapon. Saunders’ license to carry was also suspended. The Hull Police Department launched an internal affairs investigation, and Dunn notified the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission about these developments.
A Massachusetts police officer was placed on paid administrative leave by his department after being arrested in connection with an assault and battery case.
Sgt. Scott Saunders of the Hull Police Department was arrested in Pembroke on July 24. In a statement, Hull Police Chief John Dunn said Saunders was off duty at the time of the incident.
Saunders was charged with assault and battery causing injury to a victim who is over age 60.
A police report prepared by a Pembroke officer indicates that Saunders is accused of assaulting his neighbor, Harry Horsley. When the officer spoke with Horsley, he noted several injuries including cuts and swelling on the man’s face.
Horsley told police he was driving on Furnace Colony Drive toward the beach when Saunders struck his vehicle with a paddle board. According to the police report, that’s when Horsley said he pulled over and exited the vehicle.
Horsley told officers that Saunders “sucker punched” him and threw him to the ground. According to the report, Horsley told police that Saunders straddled him while they yelled at each other before Saunders let him up and walked away.
Horsley also said that a witness recorded video of the incident.
Officers also interviewed Saunders, who told them he had past disputes with the neighbor and that the neighbor did not provide enough space for him as he drove past. Saunders said he pushed his neighbor to the ground after he raised his hand and punched him once in the face when Horsley began to raise his hand again.
Saunders also provided home security video to the officers, who described it in the report. They wrote that Horsley appeared to allow adequate space as he drove past but shows Saunders “abruptly” struck Horsley’s vehicle with the paddle board, then put the board down and was “walking rapidly” toward Horsley’s car.
Police wrote that Horsley’s hands did not appear to be raised before Saunders pushed him to the ground, and the video shows Saunders throwing one punch to Horsley’s face.
Saunders was arrested after officers finished viewing the video, the report indicates.
In addition to being placed on leave, Dunn said that the department took Saunders’ badge and service weapon. Saunders’ license to carry was also suspended.
The Hull Police Department launched an internal affairs investigation, and Dunn notified the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission about these developments.