Crime & Safety

Somerville Parking Officer Accused of Spitting On and 'Bumping' Pedestrian

The officer is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into an incident in which he allegedly bumped into a pedestrian with his car.

A Somerville parking enforcement officer is on paid administrative leave after allegedly spitting on and "bumping" a pedestrian with his car.

The incident happened Aug. 14, at about 10:40 a.m., on Dane Street, according to a Somerville police report.

According to the report, the victim told police he was crossing Dane Street in a crosswalk when the parking enforcement officer—Anthony Silvestri, 58, of 252 Medford St.—drove up Dane Street and stopped short so as not to hit the victim.

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After the narrow miss, the victim and Silvestri got into a heated argument, according to the report. 

The victim told police Silvestri spat on him then drove up Dane Street and into a parking lot, where he turned around and waited on the parking-lot ramp, the report says.

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The victim went to the parking lot, stepped in front of Silvestri's car, a Jeep Liberty, and said he was going to call police, the report says.

Silvestri told the pedestrian to "get the [expletive] out of the way," and then he "bumped" the pedestrian more than once with his car, according to the victim's account in the report.

The report says the victim was not injured in the bumping.

Witness told police they saw the alleged bumping, and Silvestri told police he didn't intentionally bump anyone with his car, according to the report.

The victim's son called police, and so did a supervisor with the Department of Traffic and Parking, who said Silvestri had called concerning an accident he was involved in.

Police arrested Silvestri and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon—his car.

Silvestri is on  paid administrative leave pending an investigation, according to Jaclyn Rossetti, a spokesperson for the city of Somerville.

Please remember that allegations contained in police reports do not indicate a conviction.


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