Crime
Mark J. Loewen, 50, of Roslindale, faces a felony vandalism charge along with two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, court records show.
A Boston police officer has been placed on restricted duty following recent charges stemming from an alleged attack on a family member.
Mark J. Loewen, 50, of Roslindale, faces a felony vandalism charge along with two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, court records show.
Loewen was arraigned on July 13 in West Roxbury BMC, where he entered a plea of not guilty and was released without bail, court records show.
Two days after his arraignment, the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, or POST, announced the suspension of his law enforcement certification. The commission pointed to “evidence” suggesting Loewen “engaged or may have engaged in criminal conduct.”
Under the terms of the suspension, Loewen is required to “immediately surrender” his department-issued equipment, including his gun, cruiser, uniform, blue lights, and Taser.
Loewen’s defense attorney, Pete Pasciucco, described the veteran BPD officer of more than 25 years as “well-respected.”
“He denies the allegations. We will let the court process play out and look forward to clearing his name,” Pasciucco told Boston.com.
Police wrote in a report obtained by The Boston Globe that responding officers separated Mark Loewen and his son, Joseph Loewen, after discovering them “on the floor in a wrestling position” at the son’s West Roxbury apartment just after 3:10 a.m. on June 12.
A woman at the apartment reported that Loewen had gone to his son’s apartment to retrieve a spare key, which triggered a “verbal dispute that turned physical,” per the report.
Loewen, who was injured in the incident, left the premises without speaking to officers, while his son was noted as being “highly intoxicated, irate, and uncooperative,” the Globe reported.
According to the police report, Joseph Loewen and his roommate spoke with law enforcement at the West Roxbury BPD district station later that day. They recounted that, after drinking alcohol with Mark Loewen on Saturday night, they returned to the son’s apartment, where a heated phone conversation regarding a spare key began.
Joseph Loewen said his father then arrived at his apartment, where an altercation took place, in which Mark Loewen allegedly struck his son in the face, head, and body and bit him on the chest, the report states. Police noted that Joseph Loewen suffered bruises on his chest and arms, along with a small laceration below his right eye.
Joseph Loewen’s roommate attempted to intervene, but was allegedly bitten by Mark Loewen. Officers photographed visible bruising on the roommate’s arm, according to the Globe.
Loewen is expected to return to court Aug. 26, records show.
During a 2001 undercover operation near North Station, Loewen, who was 25 at the time, fatally shot 21-year-old Justin Ronchetti after reporting that he witnessed a drug transaction inside Ronchetti’s car, according to Globe archives.
When Loewen approached the vehicle, Ronchetti allegedly accelerated toward him and carried him through the streets, prompting Loewen to fire at Ronchetti through the sunroof, per Globe archives.
Although authorities ultimately determined that the use of force was justified, Loewen was suspended for a few days after the incident for misconduct described as “improper firearm usage or storage,” a previous POST record notes.
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