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9-30-2025 12:16am
Police Log: Bicyclist Injured after Colliding with Car, Caller Requests Rescue from a Tree, and Other Stories
Darlene Cancell
Editor
The news described in this installment of Westwood Minute's weekly Police Log article series is primarily based on selected incidents from the Westwood Police Department's daily log, and information provided by Lieutenant Michael DiLalla and police staff to Westwood Minute through written records and conversations. Occasionally, Westwood Minute may weave a few facts that it obtains from other sources into these stories.
Monday, September 22nd
Early Morning Hangout
12:49 a.m. Police responded to the area of Buckmaster Pond on Pond Street on the report of a suspicious person. They discovered a youth from Needham, inside a vehicle registered to the youth’s father. Police noted that the town property is closed at that hour and that the youth could be considered trespassing. The youth was moved along.
Sunday, September 21st
Lost Keys Returned to Owner
1:57 p.m. A set of keys was found in the area of Deerfield Avenue, and was turned into police. Police were able to identify and contact the keys’ owner, a Boston resident. The Boston resident picked up the keys the following day.
Walker Reports Bite from Off-Leash Dog
3:25 p.m. Police spoke to a woman who reported being bitten by an off-leash dog at Hale Education at 9:30 a.m. that morning. She told police that she was walking her dog when they came across two dogs being walked by a male and two other people. Following the dog bite, no personal information was exchanged. Police provided a description of the parties and unleashed dogs to staff at Hale, in case the parties might be identified in the future.
Saturday, September 20th
Fear of an Assault
2:05 a.m. A guest of the Budget Inn on Providence Highway requested police assistance because she feared an assault. The woman reported that she had a disagreement over the phone with a party who had assaulted her in April in Mattapan. She was afraid of another assault, following the argument. There was no restraining order in place. Police agreed to keep an eye on the inn and to do extra checks of the area. The guest planned to check out of the hotel in the morning.
Packing Up to Leave
8:41 a.m. Police assisted a Westwood resident in his request that a family member leave his home. Police escorted the family member to retrieve the family member’s belongings. The evicted family member planned to reach out to other family for a place to stay.
Friday, September 19th
Customer Trespassed after Demanding a Better Cup of Coffee
12:57 p.m. Police received a call for assistance from the Target store on University Avenue where an unruly customer reportedly was refusing to leave. Police learned that the customer was unhappy about how her coffee order was prepared at the in-store Starbucks. She told police that she attempted to inform the coffee shop employee exactly how she liked her coffee, but the staff misunderstood her as being aggressive. She agreed to leave after completing her purchase. Target staff requested that the woman be verbally trespassed for one year. The customer stated she intended to appeal to Target’s corporate office.
Assistance Getting Home
2:32 p.m. Police responded to the area of Banfield Pet Hospital on High Street after receiving a report that a middle-aged female was exhibiting difficulty walking. Police located the Westwood resident and assisted her in returning home.
Destruction of a Gun
2:44 p.m. A Westwood resident relinquished custody of an Airsoft gun and BBs, which the resident had found in the attic. The resident requested that police destroy the items.
Dog Owner Warned after Pit Bull is a Repeat Offender
3:32 p.m. Police received a report of an aggressive dog on Poplar Street by a woman who walks in the neighborhood. The walker reported being on the street when she encountered an aggressive pit bull and a smaller dog outside a home with their owner, both on leashes. She reported retreating to avoid the pit bull, but its claws cut her forearm, drawing blood. The woman was aware of past incidents involving the dog, so she wanted to file a police report. Police spoke with the owner and his mother. They explained that they lost control of the dog at one point. The animal control officer advised the dog’s owners that multiple incidents such as those already been reported to police can lead to an administrative hearing.
One Thing Leads to Another
4:42 p.m. An officer observed a grey Infiniti on Providence Highway, whose driver was holding a phone, and not paying attention to the road. Upon making the traffic stop, the officer learned that the driver’s license had been suspended for failing to pay a ticket. Additionally, the car registration had expired and was non-renewable. The officer cited the driver, a woman from Stoughton, for operating a motor vehicle after a suspended license, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and texting while driving. The car was towed.
Thursday, September 18th
Arrest of a Suspected Repeat Shoplifter
2:17 p.m. Police received a call from the Marshalls/Home Goods store on University Avenue where staff reported that a man known to have shoplifted in the past was inside, concealing items. An officer observed a male exiting the store with two hampers containing merchandise. Upon being confronted, the man admitted to stealing the merchandise, apologized, and said he had five children and was having a tough time. He told police it was his first time stealing from the store. When police informed him of employees reporting that he had shoplifted from the store five previous times, the suspect reportedly had nothing to say in response. Police determined that the man had stolen men’s active wear, children’s shoes, and furnishings, along with the two storage hampers. The total value of the merchandise was $890. The man, a resident of Taunton, was arrested.
Wednesday, September 17th
Bicyclist Injured after Colliding with Car
1:52 p.m. Police responded to the intersection of Sunset Road and Country Lane, where a bicyclist was injured after colliding with a Jeep. The Jeep, driven by a Westwood resident, was attempting to make a left turn from Country Lane onto Sunset Road, but failed to yield at the intersection. The bicyclist, a resident of Natick, crashed into the passenger side of the Jeep. Police observed injuries to the bicyclist’s right eye, right arm, and the inside of her left leg. Westwood Fire paramedics responded, but she refused further treatment. Police cited the driver for failure to yield at an intersection.
Drone Assists Search for Missing Child
1:53 p.m. Westwood Police deployed a drone in response to a call for assistance from Medfield Police in the search for a missing 9-year-old girl. The child was located within the next half an hour in the woods behind a residence on Spring Street in Medfield.
Reported Theft of $15,000
5:31 p.m. Police received an online report from a man who claimed to have three items stolen, and a loss of $15,000. Police attempted to contact the victim, and left a voicemail. The voicemail was not returned.
Tuesday, September 16th
Call Requests Rescue from a Tall Tree
4 p.m. Police and fire personnel responded to Sheehan Field after receiving a call for help from a 19-year-old Westwood resident. She had climbed a pine tree just outside the fenced area of the field, and could not get back down. When help arrived, they found the teenager in a pine tree, about 30 feet above the ground. After approximately half an hour, she was successfully helped back to the ground. She was transported to a hospital for evaluation.
Thanks to Lieutenant Michael DiLalla and the Westwood Police Department for contributing information for this Westwood Minute article.
