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State Police trooper charged with kidnapping, domestic violence
Joseph Ward allegedly shoved his then-girlfriend to the floor, charged at her with fists full of kitchen knives, and refused to let her leave their apartment.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper has been relieved of duty after he was charged with kidnapping and assaulting his then-girlfriend.
Joseph Ward, 25, was ordered held without bail Wednesday pending a Feb. 2 dangerousness hearing. He has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, domestic assault and battery, aggravated witness intimidation, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
The charges stem from a Jan. 10 incident involving Ward’s then-girlfriend, who told police Ward attacked her at their shared apartment in Plymouth.
“Joe absolutely denies the allegations,” his defense attorney, Greg Henning, said in a statement. “Local law enforcement arrested him based entirely on an interview with the accuser, 18 days after the alleged event, which she refused to have recorded. There was no corroboration or even an attempt to verify her claims before police put him in handcuffs.”
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According to charging documents, the woman said Ward confronted her around 5 p.m. and told her he wanted to have a “serious” conversation about their relationship. She reportedly told police she was waiting for the right moment to break up with Ward but that she was hesitant to engage with him that night due to prior “episodes” of physical and emotional abuse.
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The woman was scheduled to work a midnight shift with the Barnstable Police Department, but Ward allegedly demanded she call in sick. She told Plymouth police she felt unsafe as Ward’s behavior purportedly became more erratic, and she began to pack a bag.
Ward allegedly blocked the door with his body to stop her from leaving, and she told police she pleaded with him for more than an hour before texting an emergency contact for help. However, she alleged Ward “began to snap” when he saw her texting. She told police Ward threw furniture and shoved her to the floor before charging at her while holding “approximately 6 kitchen knives.”
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“She said she was so overcome with fear, causing her legs to give out, as she was afraid he was finally going to kill her,” Plymouth police reported. Ward then allegedly retrieved a pistol and loaded it, holstering the firearm at his waist while continuing to scream.
The woman told police she saw an opportunity to flee while Ward was distracted but that he chased her down in a shared hallway, tackled her, and dragged her back into the apartment by her legs. Fearful that a neighbor might call the police, he allegedly demanded they go for a drive.
As she drove, the woman noticed her emergency contact in a vehicle behind her. She pulled over to the side of the road, where the emergency contact purportedly intervened, talked Ward down, and separated the pair.
The woman moved out of their apartment soon after and cut contact with Ward, though she told police she has been “in constant fear” that her ex-boyfriend might find her new address.
A State Police spokesperson cited the agency’s zero-tolerance policy against domestic violence and said it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
“Upon learning of these serious charges, we immediately relieved the Trooper of duty and ensured his transport to the Plymouth Police Department, where he was taken into custody,” the spokesperson said. “We will closely monitor the court proceedings as part of our ongoing internal affairs investigation and take appropriate administrative action upon the outcome of the judicial process.”
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Henning, Ward’s lawyer, reiterated his concerns about the basis for the charges.
“Joe was charged, arraigned, and is now held in custody solely because of the word of one person. That’s a dangerous precedent to set,” he said. “If our investigation reveals that the accuser lied to law enforcement, we hope the District Attorney’s Office will reconsider its position.”
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