Williamstown Pair ArrestedBy Susan Bush
12:00AM / Sunday, August 28, 2005
Williamstown – A 75-year-old Cold Spring Road man and his visiting 42-year-old daughter are expected to be arraigned at the Northern Berkshire District Court on Aug. 29 following their Aug. 28 arrests on charges including assault and battery on a police officer.
Edwin H. Hopton of 29 Cold Spring Road and Dorothy Hopton of 309 West 90th St., New York City, each face additional charges of resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.
According to town police, police Sgt. Scott McGowan and Officer Preston Kelly went to the Hopton residence after police received a 4:45 p.m. telephone call from a neighbor who said that he believed he had heard calls for help coming from the home.
After they arrived at the residence, McGowan and Kelly discovered that all entries were locked except for an opened second-story window, police said. Lights were on inside the home, according to police. The officers repeatedly rang the doorbell, knocked on the doors and telephoned the residence several times in an attempt to contact someone inside the home, all without success, police said.
After failing to ascertain whether someone inside the home needed assistance, police accepted an offer of a ladder from a concerned neighbor. As McGowan was ascending the ladder, Dorothy Hopton arrived at the residence and inquired what the officers were doing, according to police. Hopton allegedly told police that her parents lived at the home and that she was returning from a run. Police allege that after being told why police were at the residence, Dorothy Hopton denied any problems inside the home and also allege that she became “extremely verbally abusive.†Police said that when McGowan and Kelly attempted to explain that they needed to be certain no one needed assistance, Dorothy Hopton allegedly continued to insult and verbally abuse the officers.
“In 12 years of law enforcement, I have never been assaulted verbally like that, never,†McGowan said during an Aug. 28 interview.
During the incident, Edwin Hopton emerged from the home. According to police, Hopton appeared intoxicated and allegedly said that he’d consumed alcoholic beverages earlier in the day. Hopton also allegedly told police that he did not hear police knocking, the doorbell ringing, the telephone ringing, or his dog barking and was unaware that they were at the home. Police allege that Edwin Hopton was also verbally abusive.
McGowan and Kelly attempted to calm the pair and while trying to quell the outdoor disturbance, McGowan was allegedly pushed by Dorothy Hopton and told to get off the family property, police said.
While trying to arrest Dorothy McGowan following the alleged shove, police said that she allegedly struggled physically with McGowan. Edwin Hopton allegedly shoved McGowan as McGowan was attempting to place Dorothy Hopton in custody, police said. Kelly was allegedly shoved by Edwin Hopton as he tried to assist McGowan, police said. Edwin Hopton allegedly refused to be handcuffed when police attempted to place him under arrest, police said.
The altercation prompted another neighbor to call police at 5:16 p.m. to report a disturbance, police said.
Once arrested, the individuals were placed in separate police cruisers, police said. Dorothy Hopton then allegedly told police that asthma was bothering her and Edwin Hopton allegedly told police that he has a heart condition. Police called the Village Ambulance Service to the residence. Police said that Dorothy and Edwin Hopton refused medical assistance and also allege that when emergency medical personnel attempted to evaluate Dorothy Hopton’s reported symptoms, she allegedly began hurling insults and using unsavory language toward the medical technicians.
Police said that after refusing medical treatment, Dorothy Hopton and Edwin Hopton were taken to the police station and subsequently released on personal recognizance.
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