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Officer's behavior assessed
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
By MARLA A. GOLDBERG
SPRINGFIELD - Agawam police officer Danielle L. Petrangelo testified yesterday that on June 19, a colleague and former boyfriend, officer Barry P. Syniec, arrived at her house uninvited, grabbed and threw her, and threatened to kill her and himself.
A jury-waived trial for Syniec, 35, of Agawam, began yesterday and continues today in Hampden Superior Court, where Syniec has pleaded innocent to assault and battery, threatening, criminal harassment, witness intimidation and malicious property destruction.
Syniec, who is held without bail, wore a dark suit and a tie, although his ankles were shackled. Agawam officials could not be reached late yesterday, but said weeks ago that Syniec's job status was under review.
"This is a case about an obsession that's gone out of control," Assistant District Attorney Michelle A. Cruz told Judge Bertha D. Josephson. Syniec got upset when he found out Petrangelo, 28, was seeing someone else, Cruz said, adding that Syniec sent text messages to Petrangelo's cell phone. Syniec told Petrangelo he hated her and had moved on, while a message about lingerie said, "'Ha ha, not for you,'" Cruz said.
Defense lawyer Thomas J. Rooke said Syniec is an alcoholic who can't control his behavior. Syniec pushed Petrangelo "across a very small porch," on June 19 in a state of "mental disrepair and intoxication," Rooke said, adding that it was a "simple assault," and Syniec didn't intend harm. Syniec was unarmed except for the eggs and golf balls thrown at Petrangelo's house, Rooke said.
Petrangelo testified that she and Syniec were intermittently involved for 2½ years, but broke up in March or April. "He wanted to continue the relationship, and I did not," she said.
In June, Petrangelo said, Syniec began sending her messages and e-mail, stating he loved her and couldn't stop thinking about her, or that his hatred was worse. In voice messages, Petrangelo said, Syniec used obscenities and called her a whore.
While out walking early on June 19, Petrangelo said she encountered Syniec, and told him "there was nothing else to say." Afterward, Petrangelo said she received numerous messages from Syniec, including that "he was drunk again, and thinking about hurting himself."
At about 8:30 p.m., Petrangelo said, she heard beeping in her driveway and saw Syniec's truck. "He was throwing objects at my house, golf balls, beer bottles, and eggs," she said.
Petrangelo said Syniec stood on a porch chair, peering through her door windows. "He grabbed the phone from my hand, and said call your (expletive) boyfriend, and then he broke my phone," Petrangelo said.
"He grabbed me by the wrists and forearms ... and he just threw me across, away from him, into some wicker furniture," she said, adding that several bruises resulted.
Petrangelo said two neighbors arrived and threatened to call police, and Syniec told them to do so, reciting the Agawam station number. "He looked at me, and he said very calmly that he was going to kill me and then kill himself, because he didn't care anymore," she said.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
By MARLA A. GOLDBERG
SPRINGFIELD - Agawam police officer Danielle L. Petrangelo testified yesterday that on June 19, a colleague and former boyfriend, officer Barry P. Syniec, arrived at her house uninvited, grabbed and threw her, and threatened to kill her and himself.
A jury-waived trial for Syniec, 35, of Agawam, began yesterday and continues today in Hampden Superior Court, where Syniec has pleaded innocent to assault and battery, threatening, criminal harassment, witness intimidation and malicious property destruction.
Syniec, who is held without bail, wore a dark suit and a tie, although his ankles were shackled. Agawam officials could not be reached late yesterday, but said weeks ago that Syniec's job status was under review.
"This is a case about an obsession that's gone out of control," Assistant District Attorney Michelle A. Cruz told Judge Bertha D. Josephson. Syniec got upset when he found out Petrangelo, 28, was seeing someone else, Cruz said, adding that Syniec sent text messages to Petrangelo's cell phone. Syniec told Petrangelo he hated her and had moved on, while a message about lingerie said, "'Ha ha, not for you,'" Cruz said.
Defense lawyer Thomas J. Rooke said Syniec is an alcoholic who can't control his behavior. Syniec pushed Petrangelo "across a very small porch," on June 19 in a state of "mental disrepair and intoxication," Rooke said, adding that it was a "simple assault," and Syniec didn't intend harm. Syniec was unarmed except for the eggs and golf balls thrown at Petrangelo's house, Rooke said.
Petrangelo testified that she and Syniec were intermittently involved for 2½ years, but broke up in March or April. "He wanted to continue the relationship, and I did not," she said.
In June, Petrangelo said, Syniec began sending her messages and e-mail, stating he loved her and couldn't stop thinking about her, or that his hatred was worse. In voice messages, Petrangelo said, Syniec used obscenities and called her a whore.
While out walking early on June 19, Petrangelo said she encountered Syniec, and told him "there was nothing else to say." Afterward, Petrangelo said she received numerous messages from Syniec, including that "he was drunk again, and thinking about hurting himself."
At about 8:30 p.m., Petrangelo said, she heard beeping in her driveway and saw Syniec's truck. "He was throwing objects at my house, golf balls, beer bottles, and eggs," she said.
Petrangelo said Syniec stood on a porch chair, peering through her door windows. "He grabbed the phone from my hand, and said call your (expletive) boyfriend, and then he broke my phone," Petrangelo said.
"He grabbed me by the wrists and forearms ... and he just threw me across, away from him, into some wicker furniture," she said, adding that several bruises resulted.
Petrangelo said two neighbors arrived and threatened to call police, and Syniec told them to do so, reciting the Agawam station number. "He looked at me, and he said very calmly that he was going to kill me and then kill himself, because he didn't care anymore," she said.
