Tobey Hospital security officer charged with attempted murder after shooting at woman
Sep 19, 2017
Joseph Singleton, a Tobey Hospital security guard, has been charged with attempted murder. NONE SOUTHCOAST HEALTH
A longtime security officer at Tobey Hospital has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly fired a gun at a woman and child Sept. 18 and led police on a car chase.
Joseph Singleton, 35, of Marion, shot at a woman from his car as she was driving on Route 6 near Gifford’s Corner Road following a domestic disturbance, according to police reports. He was arraigned on Sept. 19 in Wareham District Court and held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing. That hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22.
The woman said she believed the gun was fired four or five times and police found two bullet holes in the trunk of her car.
A 5-year-old child was in the woman’s car and the shooting was related to a domestic violence incident. Both were uninjured.
As he attempted to flee from police, Singleton lost control of his car on I-195’s westbound on-ramp and crashed into several trees.
Singleton was taken into custody at around 7 p.m. A 9mm handgun was located inside his car, which he was properly licensed to carry. No shots were fired by police during the incident.
Singleton has worked for Southcoast Health for the past 15 years and is a former Wareham Animal Control officer who worked part time for the department from 2005 to 2013. Southcoast Health is currently working with the police to gather further details on the incident, said Peter Cohenno, spokesman for Southcoast Health.
“While we do not comment publicly on individual personnel matters, in this case, we can share that the individual involved is not scheduled to work and there are no safety concerns at Tobey Hospital,” Cohenno said.
Assistance was provided by Mattapoisett Police, Rochester Police, Wareham Police, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Marion Fire/EMS.
In addition to attempted murder, Singleton was charged with threat to commit a crime, discharging a firearm near a highway, resisting arrest as well as other assault, firearm and motor vehicle charges.
