Westborough Man Who Locked Verizon Worker in Vault Gets Probation

WESTBOROUGH, MA — A Westborough man was given a year's probation after pleading guilty to locking a Verizon worker in an underground vault in 2013.

Howard W. Cook, 73, of Westborough, will be on probation for a year with the first six months supervised, reports MassLive Worcester.

He was also ordered to complete an anger management program, as well as refrain from abusing Verizon employees.

The family of the victim, Michael Hathaway, told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette that they were unhappy with the decision, and filed a civil suit against Cook and U-Stor Self Storage Inc.

Cook reportedly has a history of disturbing acts, and allegedly locked Hathaway in an underground vault when Hathaway was in it working because he was angry at him for parking on the grass at his business. He screamed and swore at Hathaway while he worked, and then pulled the ladder and locked the hatch, reports the Telegram.

There are two other defendants in the civil case, which contends that the business was negligent in controlling Cook's actions, reports WCVB-TV.