Burlington Police lieutenant charged with assaulting family member

A Burlington Police lieutenant was charged with assault and battery on a family member and intimidation of a witness after he allegedly headbutted his wife during an argument early Sunday morning, court records show. 

Peter Abaskharoun , 46, of Burlington, pleaded not guilty to both counts during his arraignment at Woburn District Court Monday. A bail commissioner set his bail at $2,500, and Abaskharoun was released after a six-hour hold, according to a Burlington police report.

Burlington Police placed Abaskharoun on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policies, Chief Thomas P. Browne announced in a statement Monday. The department will conduct an internal affairs investigation into the matter, he said.

“This matter is being taken extremely seriously, and appropriate administrative action will be determined based on the findings of the investigation,” Browne wrote in the statement. “We are committed to conducting a thorough and impartial review.”

Representation for Abaskharoun did not respond to requests for comment from Boston.com and declined to comment when reached by The Boston Globe. 

Abaskharoun called 911 just after 1 a.m. Sunday morning because he said “his wife just came at him,” according to the Burlington Police report in court documents. When police arrived, Abaskharoun said the couple got into a “heated discussion,” in which his wife came at him with a closed fist. 

Abaskharoun admitted he threw his head at his wife, which caused her to bleed from her nose, but he said it was to “get her away from me,” according to the police report. 

Police noted in their report that Abaskharoun had a small lump above his right eye. 

Police found Abaskharoun’s wife in the master bathroom with her face covered in blood, a scratch on her nose, and a bruise above her eye, according to the police report.

Abaskharoun’s wife said the couple argued face-to-face in the bedroom when he allegedly headbutted her, according to the police report. Abaskharoun then allegedly apologized and held her back from leaving the house.

Police determined Abaskharoun was the primary aggressor since both parties said he hit his wife, the injury to his wife was “significantly more severe,” and the blood marks were consistent with her statement, according to the police report.

Police also noted Abaskharoun said his wife was “wailing” on him, but there were no injuries observed on her hands, according to the police report.

Abaskharoun’s next court date is a pretrial hearing on Nov. 9 in Woburn District Court.

“The Burlington Police Department holds its officers to the highest standards of conduct, and the allegations in this case do not reflect the mission or values of our department,” Browne wrote in a statement.