Mass. state trooper arrested after allegedly headbutting girlfriend twice in N.H. domestic assault

A married Massachusetts state trooper was arrested over the weekend for allegedly assaulting another woman with whom he’d been romantically involved in New Hampshire, according to court records.

Legal filings in Rockingham County, N.H., Superior Court identified the trooper as Bryan Erickson, 38, of Groveland, and said the alleged assault occurred early on Jan. 31 at the woman’s residence in Exeter, N.H.

The woman told responding officers Erickson had gone to her residence so they could talk about ending their yearlong relationship, records show. She told police Erickson took her phone, grabbed her, and threw her on a bed, threw her on the ground, squeezed her face with one hand, and “wrapped her arms around her on the bed and knelt on her upper thigh area so that she could barely breathe and could not move,” records allege.

She also told police Erickson put one of his fingers down her throat, scratching the inside of her cheek in the process, and headbutted her twice, according to legal filings.

Erickson, who was arrested by State Police at his Groveland home early Sunday, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Rockingham County Superior Court on several charges including second-degree assault, domestic violence simple assault, and criminal trespass. It was not immediately clear if he entered a plea Tuesday.

He was ordered held without bail pending an evidentiary hearing Feb. 10, according to legal filings.

Stanley Norkunas, a lawyer for Erickson, defended his client Tuesday when reached by e-mail.

“I believe that folks should be [cognizant] of the background and character of Bryan Erickson,” Norkunas wrote. “At today’s hearing it was told to the Court that he served his country in the Marine Corp and was in the Middle East. He joined the State Police when he came home and has served the citizens of Massachusetts with distinction. His dedication and service have been acknowledged with multiple commendations including a ribbon for work on the Boston Marathon case. He is married and is the loving father of two young children.”

David Procopio, a Massachusetts State Police spokesman, said Erickson was “immediately relieved of duty” and all of his Massachusetts State Police equipment was taken from him.

”We have scheduled a departmental hearing for him later this week, at which time his duty status will be addressed, and have opened an Internal Affairs case,“ Procopio said. “We condemn, and have zero tolerance for, the actions as alleged. We will take appropriate administrative action as warranted by the outcome of the criminal case in New Hampshire and our own internal investigation.”