Cooperative School principal placed on leave after alleged assault in Norwood
Wareham Cooperative Junior Senior High School Principal William Plasko Jr. was arrested at his Norwood home on Saturday, October 8 after he allegedly broke into a woman's home and sexually assaulted her.
According to Norwood Police, the woman drove herself to the police station to report the incident and said that "she had been sexually assaulted." The victim alleged that Plasko, 41, of 12 Rosedale Road in Norwood had removed a screen from a window and entered her home.
"The victim stated that she awoke when she felt the defendant's hands on her," screamed, and yelled at Plasko to leave, police said in a statement. She arrived at the police station just before 1 a.m. Saturday.
The woman was transported to Norwood Hospital for an evaluation, according to police.
Plasko was arrested following the victim's report and charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime to commit a felony and indecent assault and battery, police said. He was bailed from the Norwood Police Station and arraigned in Dedham District Court on Tuesday. He pleaded "not guilty," according to a NorwoodPatch report. A representative from the Norwood Police Department said Plasko was released after his appearance in court.
Plasko, who serves on the Norwood School Committee, began work at the Wareham Cooperative School in July 2010.
Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch said in a statement Tuesday that Plasko was placed on administrative leave "pending further information." Rabinovitch said that Plasko had contacted him on Sunday to report that he is "in the middle of a legal situation."
"[Plasko] clarified that he had been arrested by the Norwood Police and charged with breaking and entering in the night and assault and battery on a person over the age of 14," Rabinovitch said. "Mr. Plasko has been instructed by his attorney not to make any further comments on this matter."
Rabinovitch said in the statement that he will not make any further comments about the situation on the advice of the school district's attorney.
The lead teacher at the Cooperative School - an alternative school for students who struggle in a traditional high school environment - will oversee the school until other arrangements can be made.