Man held without bail after alleged assault on pregnant girlfriend

LYNN – A judge ordered a Dorchester man held without bail Friday after the man’s pregnant girlfriend told police the defendant forced his way into her home and beat, choked and threatened her because she called police on him earlier that evening.”As we exited our marked cruiser she began screaming ?go get him, go get him, he just beat the [expletive] out of me, broke down my door and tried to kill me!,'” Lynn Police Officer Andrew Beaver wrote in a report.William M. McNeill, 27, of 137 Olney St., Dorchester, was arrested and charged with armed burglary, malicious and wanton defacement of property, assault and battery, violation of an abuse-prevention order, assault and battery on pregnant victim, witness intimidation, assault to murder, reckless endangerment of a child; and possession of Class B drugs; at 10:15 p.m. Thursday.McNeill was arraigned on the charges Friday in Lynn District Court where a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf, according to court documents.Police responded to a home on Lawton Avenue at approximately 9:40 p.m. Thursday on the report of a fight, according to court documents. Officers met the alleged victim sitting outside and holding an ice pack to her mouth, according to police.The woman told officers she and McNeill argued earlier that evening when she found out McNeill had an affair, according to police. The alleged victim told officers the argument escalated until McNeill punched her in the stomach, knowing she was three months pregnant with their fourth child, police recounted.The woman told officers she called police but did not tell responding officers she had been assaulted “because she was in fear of what McNeill might do to her later,” Beaver wrote.The woman told officers she just wanted McNeill to leave; which he did, according to police.But McNeill returned shortly thereafter and allegedly kicked the door in when the alleged victim would not let him inside the apartment.A witness came over as the couple argued, taking the couple’s two children with her across the street, police said. The witness was allegedly returning to get the couple’s baby from her mother’s arms when McNeill allegedly punched the alleged victim in the face. The witness was near enough to catch the baby as it dropped from the alleged victim’s arms, according to police.McNeill then allegedly dragged the alleged victim by the throat into the apartment. The woman escaped his grasp only to be thrown against a wall, according to police. The woman told officers she ran outside screaming for help when McNeill again grabbed her by the throat.”She stated as McNeill was choking her, he kept yelling at her, ?you call the cops on me, I’ll kill you!,'” Beaver reported. The alleged victim also told officers that each time she was choked, she had difficulty breathing, was losing consciousness and was afraid McNeill would kill her, police said.After escaping a second time, the alleged victim said she ran back into the house and tried to call police, but McNeill smashed her phone. He allegedly fled down Lawton towards Western Avenue when he heard police sirens approaching, summonsed by an unknown person. Police observed fresh red marks on the alleged victim’s neck and a smashed phone in the apartment, according to court documents.While speaking with the alleged victim, another unit radioed that officers had arrested McNeill, who appeared drunk, according to police. Police searching McNeil reportedly found a rock of suspected crack cocaine inside McNeill’s sock.A prosecutor requested McNeill be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing. Judge James LaMothe granted the request, scheduling the hearing for Thursday.