Nonprofit Founder Charged With Attacking 3 People At Lowell High School
LOWELL (CBS) - A man who founded a home for young women battling drug addiction in honor of his late daughter is being held without bail on charges he attacked three people in a bizarre incident at Lowell High School.
Timothy Grover, 55, of Dracut, pleaded not guilty to several charges in Lowell District Court including assault with intent to rape and assault on a police officer. He was ordered held until a dangerousness hearing on Friday.
Assistant District Attorney Gregory Galizzio said Grover was extremely drunk when he wandered into Lowell High School Monday afternoon and approached a 20-year-old woman who was alone in a classroom and told her "You should call the police."
"When she asked why that she should call the police, the defendant followed her behind the desk and said, 'because someone is going to rape you.' When she asked who is going to rape (her), the defendant said 'I am,'" Galizzio told the court.
The woman ran out of the room and called police.
The prosecutor said Grover then went into the auditorium, grabbed a student, tried to punch him and missed. The student and a custodian got Grover out of the building. Park rangers found him outside as police arrived.
"The defendant was highly combative and non-cooperative with the officers, yelling, berating them. He kicked two officers," Galizzio said. "In addition, he threatened multiple officers. He threatened to shoot them, threatened to rape them and stated words to the effect of, 'I'm going to shoot you, I'm going to kill you, I can't wait to kill you. I can't wait to put a bullet in your head,' among other threats."
Grover was arrested. Galizzio called the entire incident "bizarre and troubling."
Classes were not in session at the time but faculty and staff were there preparing for the new school year that started Tuesday.
Grover, a married father of three and the owner of Madison Security in Lowell, is the founder of the Megan House Foundation, a drug treatment home for young women named after his daughter who died in 2014 at the age of 26 from a heroin overdose.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, the organization said Grover "separated completely" from them "more than 18 months ago and has not been involved with any aspect of its operations since that time."
"There is nothing more important to the staff, leadership and board of The Megan House than creating a safe and supportive environment for the young women we serve. Should any past resident, employee or contractor associated with The Megan House have any concerns, we ask that these concerns be reported immediately to the police," said Megan House vice president Jill Reilly.
"He's going to fight these charges and he denies them in their entirety," Grover's attorney Daniel Thompson told reporters.
Some parents of Lowell High School students told WBZ-TV that security is always a concern.
"The location is bad, it's a downtown, very squeezed area," one man said.
