Montague Police officer faces assault charges

The Franklin County Justice Center in Greenfield. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ
Published: 06-26-2025 5:24 PM |
DEERFIELD — Montague Police Officer Shawna Williams faces eight charges in Greenfield District Court after she allegedly assaulted her friend in Deerfield.
According to court documents, 31-year-old Williams, a Deerfield resident, was arrested by Deerfield Police on Friday, June 20, the day after the alleged assault. Williams is being charged with three counts of felony assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, one count of felony assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of felony vandalism. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on personal recognizance.
Additionally, Williams has had her state firearms license suspended as a result of the arrest. The notice sent to Williams, which was signed by Montague Police Chief Christopher Williams (no relation), states she is “deemed unsuitable” to hold a firearms license based on the arrest warrant and charges.
Chief Williams wrote in an email that the town of Montague is aware of the incident and is handling it as a personnel matter. Montague Town Administrator Walter Ramsey confirmed Thursday that Officer Williams was placed on administrative leave on May 29 for an unrelated incident and there is an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct.
The victim alleges in her interviews with Deerfield and Greenfield officers that she and Williams were conversing via text messages prior to the alleged assault regarding her coming to Williams’ property in Deerfield to pick up a pair of boots and to speak with Williams, as the two had been distant. A police report written by Greenfield Police Officer Jedadiah Henry states the victim told him that prior to the incident, she and Williams had been arguing over a perceived sexual relationship between the victim and an ex-boyfriend of Williams.
Per the police report, the victim alleges Williams pushed her when they made contact on the property and she fell to the ground. Then, Williams is said to have allegedly kicked the victim on the right side of her ribs twice while screaming at her, telling her she “hoped her ribs were broken” and that she would “have to go to the hospital,” according to Deerfield Police Sgt. Jennifer Bartak’s summary of an interview with the victim. Williams then allegedly spit on the victim, dragged her by her hair to her vehicle, yelled at her as she got into her vehicle, then threw an alcoholic beverage on her vehicle and threw her keys at her.
The victim also told police that after the altercation, Williams had her cellphone connected to the Bluetooth system of the victim’s vehicle, and the victim saw that Williams called former Montague Police Lt. Christopher Bonnett, as he picked up and the victim recognized his phone number. Bartak noted in her report that police are aware “there is a romantic history” between Bonnett and Williams.
In May, Bonnett retired from the department after a private investigation found he violated department policy during an August 2024 investigation he conducted into a workplace sexual harassment claim Williams had filed against former Montague Police Officer Joshua Dobosz.
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Court documents note that after the victim left Williams’ property in Deerfield, she messaged Henry, who is an acquaintance, about the alleged assault. Henry, two other Greenfield officers, Massachusetts State Police and an AMR ambulance responded to a location on River Street in Greenfield just before 11 p.m. on June 19 to take statements and photos of the victim’s injuries. The victim declined medical treatment.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for July 10.
Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231. Domenic Poli contributed to this report.