A Suffolk decide has launched a former Boston police detective indicted for drunkenly backing a city-owned truck into an occupied Tesla in East Boston at a time when he was incomes over $300,000 from town.
Suffolk Superior Decide James Budreau has launched Greg Walsh, 51, of South Boston, on private recognizance after a grand jury indicted the previous police detective for working the city-owned car and carrying a firearm whereas intoxicated, amongst different costs.
Budreau has additionally denied Walsh’s request to dismiss the case, stemming from a chaotic incident within the Jeffries Level part of East Boston in October 2024. The decide ordered the previous detective to keep away from and don’t have any contact with witnesses.
Based on metropolis payroll data, Walsh earned $326,930.03 in whole pay final 12 months, as his $131,135.60 common wage soared to that last quantity with $105,157.47 in additional time pay and the remainder in different pay.
Walsh retired from the Boston Police Division on Nov. 6, 2025, with costs pending, division spokesman Sgt. Det. John Boyle informed the Herald after the previous detective was arraigned Thursday morning.
The alleged drunken episode unfolded within the early morning of Oct. 22, 2024, a number of hours after Walsh accomplished a shift for BPD as a detective. At about 2:30 a.m., Walsh allegedly backed a city-owned “oversize pickup truck outfitted to look like a utility vehicle for undercover work” into an occupied Tesla on Sumner Avenue.
The Tesla sustained harm to its hood, as Walsh allegedly drove away and across the block onto Marginal Avenue. The Tesla driver then blocked that intersection, with the 2 automobiles quickly dealing with one another, based on the prosecution’s assertion of the case.
Occupants within the Tesla seen Walsh allegedly lined the entrance and rear license plates with paper towels and a chunk of clothes. The automotive’s driver referred to as 911, whereas a passenger recorded a number of minutes of the encounter on his telephone.
“The video showed a standoff in which Walsh drove back and forth and waved for the civilians to move out of the way,” the prosecution stated in its case assertion. “The Tesla driver instead urged Walsh to park so they could talk and exchange papers.”
“Walsh briefly exited the truck and, when told that he had smashed into the car, said, ‘I know that, it’s obvious,’” the prosecution added. “He returned to the truck and at one point called the Tesla occupants ‘assholes.’”
Walsh then ran away from the truck on Sumner Avenue, after a Boston police officer responded to a second 911 name, in a marked cruiser.
“The Tesla passenger pointed out Walsh’s direction of flight to the officer, who caught up to Walsh in time to see him vault a gate into an alley,” the case assertion reads. “As he did so, the gate swung open, and Walsh fell face down in the alley.”
Physique digital camera footage allegedly exhibits Walsh standing up with “difficulty.” The arresting officer then handcuffed him and eliminated his obligation weapon — a loaded Glock handgun — from a holster on his hip.
“Walsh confirmed that he was a BPD officer and was licensed to carry the firearm,” the prosecution has said. “He answered security questions cooperatively, however slurred his phrases and was unsteady on his ft.
“Walsh said that he left the crash scene because the Tesla occupants were ‘very aggressive … I thought they were gonna beat me up,’” the prosecution added, “even though he was an armed detective in a large vehicle and the civilians made no threats or belligerent movements toward him.”
A BPD sergeant then arrived on scene, noticing a slight odor of alcohol coming from Walsh, who was allegedly slurring his phrases. The sergeant finally determined to not try subject sobriety checks or arrest the detective on the scene.
Later that day, the sergeant cited Walsh for working underneath the affect and leaving the scene, and utilized for a legal grievance within the East Boston division of Boston Municipal Courtroom.
An East Boston clerk Justice of the Peace declined to difficulty a grievance at a listening to on Nov. 6, 2024, stating, “I feel that the matter should be investigated by Internal Affairs.” At that time, Walsh, by means of an legal professional, paid the Tesla proprietor $12,000 for the crash harm.
