Man accused of slamming into Shrewsbury Police Department faces a judge

WESTBOROUGH, MASS. — A man accused of intentionally ramming his SUV into the lobby of a Massachusetts police station faced a judge today.

58-year-old Robert Scott McCluskey was arraigned in Westboro District Court on Wednesday afternoon on three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, destruction of property, and reckless operation of a motor vehicle in connection with a crash into the Shrewsbury Police Department.

Police say McCluskey barreled through two sets of doors and a wall on Monday night, coming to a rest inside the department’s communications center around 2 p.m.

“The vehicle actually went through the front door and actually went into dispatch, so it went through the lobby and went into dispatch, and there were three dispatchers working at the time,” Chief Anderson said during a press conference that day.

“It’s very concerning, the entire staff that was there is very shaken up, we’re very fortunate that we have a training room that there was training going on and that ended about 30 minutes prior to this incident.”

When McCluskey was pulled out of his vehicle to get medical treatment, he repeatedly stated, “I am sorry, help me, I am so sorry.” Police also allegedly smelled alcohol on his breath.

Just after the crash, police also received a 911 call indicating McCluskey was on his way to police headquarters to conduct a “suicide by a cop,” the criminal complaint further stated.

“I want suicide by cop,” “Watch the news, it’s going to be spectacular,” and “I am going to end this,” he allegedly stated during the day.

A professional psychologist from the Department of Mental Health, evaluated McCluskey, and told the judge he has a significant history of depression and alcoholism.

McCluskey told the psychologist that he had been feeling incredibly depressed for the last several months, which his family was unaware of. He had also relapsed on alcohol as recently as Monday.

McCluskey was ordered to continue an evaluation and be held in jail until his next hearing on Friday. The psychologist said that because there are no beds available at any nearby facilities, McCluskey would need to be put on a waitlist for the time being.

“When something like this happens in a space so many people trust, it affects more than just a building; it affects people and we recognize that impact, and take it very seriously,” said Chief Kevin Anderson in a statement on Wednesday.

“As we move forward, we are committed to rebuilding the lobby to be stronger and safer while preserving its welcoming nature. We will work closely with town leadership, facilities, and public safety partners to evaluate what happened and implement improvements that better protect everyone who works in and visits our building.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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