STONEHAM, Mass. — A Hingham police officer is accused of brandishing a gun while off duty during a verbal altercation with another man on Main Street in Stoneham, the district attorney said.
Joel Salituri, 43, of Stoneham, who was placed on administrative leave by the Hingham Police Department per department policy, was arraigned in Woburn District Court on Wednesday on the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement on Monday.
The alleged altercation occurred on Dec. 26, 2022, at approximately 4:52 p.m., Ryan said.
The victim, a Stoneham man, were allegedly traveling on Interstate 93 northbound, Ryan said. After both vehicles got off the highway, Salituri, who was off duty at the time, allegedly followed the victim until he pulled over into a parking lot on Main Street.
Prosecutors allege Salituri then pulled up alongside the victim and began yelling at the victim and making derogatory statements while brandishing a gun. The victim also reported that Salituri stated he was a police officer, Ryan said.
The victim reported the incident to police and a criminal complaint for the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon was issued after probable cause was found at a show cause hearing, Ryan said.
Salituri was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from and have not contact with the victim.
Ryan said the nature of the derogatory statements include allegations of racial slurs and additional charges are possible.
Hingham Police Chief David Jones issued the following statement regarding Salituri’s arrest:
“An incident occurred in Stoneham in December of 2022 involving one of our personnel, Officer Joel Salituri. It is alleged that Officer Salituri brandished a firearm and used racially insensitive language during a verbal altercation. As a result, and after an investigation by the Stoneham Police Department, he was arraigned on April 26 in Woburn District Court on the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. We have been in contact with both the Stoneham Police Department as well as the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and are fully cooperating with both agencies. An internal investigation will be conducted independent from the criminal case. As required by law, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission has been notified,” the statement said.
“Any threat of violence against a member of a marginalized community by any officer goes against our core values and standards that we are bound to uphold as a professional law enforcement agency,” the statement said.
“Any allegation of misconduct by a member of our agency will be taken seriously and investigated fairly and thoroughly. We are committed to being open and transparent during this and any other internal investigation,” the statement said.
“Hingham strives to be a welcoming and accepting community and we will continue to work with our local stakeholders to ensure that our town is safe and inclusive for everyone. The Hingham Police Department is committed to protecting all members of our community in a respectful and dignified manner and has a dedicated Civil Rights Officer, Lieutenant John Marquardt, who can be reached at civilrights@hpd.org,” the statement said.
Salituri is due back in court on May 24.
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