STERLING — A Templeton man was charged with attempted murder after allegedly striking a police officer with his car after the officer gave him a warning for speeding.
According to a statement from the Sterling Police Department, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Officer Connor Sullivan was working traffic detail on Route 140 near Burpee Road assisting the Sterling Light Department when he observed a vehicle approaching the work zone at a high rate of speed.
Officer Sullivan stopped the driver, later identified as Josiah Henshaw, 24, of Templeton, and issued a warning about his “excessive speeding” before allowing him to proceed, the Sterling Police Department said.
“As Officer Sullivan began to walk away, Henshaw suddenly turned his vehicle sharply and accelerated toward him, striking the officer, and throwing him onto the hood of the car,” the Sterling Police Department said in its statement. “The vehicle then left the roadway and collided with a light pole guide wire, bringing it to a stop and causing Officer Sullivan to be thrown to the ground. Despite his injuries, Officer Sullivan quickly regained composure. With the assistance of Sterling Municipal Light Department Lineman John Nordquist, he was able to take Henshaw into custody.”
Henshaw was booked at the Sterling Police Department and later released on $10,000 cash bail.
He was charged with the following offenses/violations:
- Attempted Murder
- Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
- Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Speeding
- Marked Lanes Violation
- Use of Electronic Devise while Operating a Motor Vehicle
Officer Sullivan was transported to UMass Lakeside Hospital in Worcester where he was treated for minor injuries and later released.
