BOSTON (WHDH) - A Bridgewater man was ordered held on $25,000 bail Friday after being charged with initiating a violent confrontation with Boston police officers attempting to remove him from Boston City Hall, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
Michael Williams, 51, was charged in Central BMC with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, trespassing, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assault to main. Judge Paul Treseler set bail at $25,000 and ordered Williams to stay out of Boston and wear at GPS tracking device if released on bail. Treseler also ordered Williams committed to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Four Boston police officers were injured in the incident. Williams will return to court April 24 for a pre-trial hearing.
At about 9:43 a.m. this morning Boston police responded to City Hall for an officer in trouble with a combative subject. Upon arrival, officers asked the man, later identified as Williams, to leave the building. A witness accused Williams of shouting racial slurs at a group of people visiting the building.
Williams initially complied but soon began arguing with officers, according to police. Officers informed Williams if he did not leave he would be arrested. An officer asked Williams, “Are you choosing to be arrested?” and Williams stated, “Yes, I would rather be arrested,” prosecutors said.
While trying to arrest Williams, an officer placed his right arm on his shoulder to place him in handcuffs. Williams allegedly bit the officer’s hand, causing severe damage, including heavy bleeding and parts of the skin and tissue to hang off the hand. Williams then freed his arms and grabbed and punched two officers with a closed fist, then briefly fled, police said.
Four officers were transported by Boston EMS to Mass General Hospital to be treated for their injuries.
“This incident could have been avoided if the defendant had followed officers’ instructions and left the building. Instead he escalated it into an extremely violent encounter in which he inflicted a serious injury before he could be subdued. This shows once again that a police officer’s day can change dramatically in an instant,” Hayden said.
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