A Saturday night 911 call in Holliston ended with a Natick police officer in handcuffs and facing domestic assault charges, according to court records and local officials. Jackson W. Dwyer, 28, was arrested over the weekend, arraigned Monday in Framingham District Court, and pleaded not guilty. He has been placed on paid administrative leave while a criminal investigation and an internal departmental review move forward.
Charges, Bail and Department Response
According to the Boston Globe, Dwyer is charged with assault and battery on a family or household member, strangulation or suffocation, and witness intimidation. Court filings cited by the outlet say he was taken into custody prior to arraignment and later released on $500 bail, with conditions including “no abuse” and a prohibition on possessing “dangerous weapons.”
Natick Deputy Police Chief Brian Lauzon said the department has placed Dwyer on paid leave and is running an internal review alongside the Holliston Police Department’s criminal probe. In other words, Dwyer is currently off the street while both tracks of the investigation play out.
Defense Comment
Dwyer’s attorney, David Zirlen, told the MetroWest Daily News that “things are not as they appear” and said the alleged victim had “substantially recanted,” according to the outlet’s coverage, which first reported the arrest. Zirlen did not offer further specifics on the record as the case works its way through the courts.
What Holliston Police Say Happened
A Holliston police report reviewed by the Boston Globe states that officers responded just after 9:20 p.m. Saturday to a residence where a 22-year-old woman was visibly upset and trembling. The woman told officers that Dwyer shoved her onto a couch, put a pillow behind her head, then pressed her face into the cushion, making it difficult for her to breathe; she also told police she has asthma.
The report says Dwyer left on foot after the incident and was later found by officers and brought back for booking. Investigators seized multiple firearms from the home, and officials temporarily suspended his license to carry while the case is under investigation, according to the same report.
Legal Implications
Under Massachusetts law, strangulation or suffocation is a stand-alone criminal offense with defined penalties and aggravating factors. The statute outlines potential prison terms and mandatory intervention programming for those convicted. The full text is available via the Massachusetts Legislature.
State sentencing guidance also highlights the kinds of conditions often attached to domestic violence cases, including intimate-partner abuse education programs and restrictions related to contact and firearms possession. Mass.gov notes that courts commonly impose such requirements in domestic-offense convictions.
What’s Next
Court records show Dwyer is scheduled to return to Framingham District Court for a pretrial conference on May 22, according to reporting on the arraignment. The Middlesex District Attorney’s office has been notified. Holliston police are leading the criminal investigation, while Natick’s internal review continues on a parallel track, officials said.
Local Context
The case lands at a sensitive moment for the Natick Police Department, which has already been under scrutiny over its handling of prior misconduct allegations. A WBUR investigation previously detailed controversy surrounding the town’s response to an earlier officer misconduct case and raised questions about transparency and internal oversight. Dwyer’s arrest now adds another high-profile test of how the department responds when one of its own is accused of a serious crime.
