Man Who Punched Chelmsford Police Officer Indicted

CHELMSFORD, MA — A Chelmsford man who punched a police officer in the face before he was shot twice during a July confrontation could soon face a trial. William Santiago, 35, was charged with a host of crimes following the incident. Police said shook off a Taser and used a hammer and shards of glass as weapons. After he was shot, he then attacked officers in the hospital, police added.

Santiago was indicted on four counts of assault with attempt to murder, six counts of assault with a weapon, kidnapping, assault assault on a police officer, three counts of assault on a family member, malicious destruction of property and witness intimidation. (Sign up for free daily newsletters and breaking news alerts from Chelmsford Patch.)

The violent confrontation happened July 23 when police officers responded to a Chelmsford residence on Clover Hill Drive for a report of a domestic assault. Santiago was holding a woman against her will and extremely agitated when he proceeded to punch one of the officers in the face, police said.

"The male continued to be combative and began using items nearby, including a large shard of glass and a hammer, as weapons," Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. "Fearing for the safety of the female victim and the safety of the responding officers, one of the responding officers deployed their department issued Taser in an attempt to subdue the suspect. When the Taser was ineffective, another officer fired two shots striking the suspect in the leg and grazing his head."

Santiago was medflighted Boston-area hospital, where he proceeded to try to attack officers in his room, Ryan said.

"Massachusetts State Police troopers and a Chelmsford Police Officer were present in the defendant’s Boston hospital room," Ryan said in a statement. "As they were leaving the room, the defendant jumped from his hospital bed and attempted to attack one of the officers. As he was being restrained, he reached back towards his bed, where a pair of surgical scissors had been hidden. The defendant was restrained and the officers did not sustain bodily injury."

Feroze Dhanoa (Patch National Staff) and Mike Carraggi (Patch National Staff) contributed to this report

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