Probation Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault Killed in Crash: Report

West Roxbury, MA – A Dorchester Municipal Court probation officer indicted in the alleged sexual assault of a woman he was assigned to supervise was killed in a single-car wreck Tuesday afternoon.

At 3:50 p.m., state police responded to a single-car crash near Interstate 93 in Randolph. A preliminary investigation indicated that a 50-year-old man from West Roxbury was traveling on Route 28 South under Interstate 93 when his vehicle left the roadway, traveled onto the sidewalk, and struck a bridge abutment.

The Boston Globe identified the driver as William Averill, a West Roxbury resident. 

A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Averill, of West Roxbury, on three counts of rape and indecent assault and battery, as well as an additional charge of assault with intent to rape, in a Jan. 5 incident. 

According to prosecutors, the woman reported to probation on that day as required under her convictions for larceny and receiving stolen property. Averill allegedly led her to his office, where he began to touch and kiss her. She told him to stop, which he did. However, later in the meeting, he allegedly closed the blinds and sexually assaulted the woman, according to prosceutors.

After leaving the courthouse, the woman called a relative and discussed the alleged assault. Boston Police launched an investigation, and a DNA sample provided by Averill matched evidence collected during the investigation and excluded 99.92 of the male population as contributors, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

Averill had been on administrative leave since the investigation began. He was expected to be arraigned Wednesday.

Editor's Note: This report was derived from information supplied by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. An arrest does not imply a conviction.