BOSTON, July 20, 2012—A former Belmont resident was arraigned today on for indecent assault and battery in connection with a Tuesday evening incident on the MBTA Green Line, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DOUGLASS EWALD (D.O.B. 7/6/61) was formally charged this morning in the Boston Municipal Court. Assistant District Attorney Katherine Powell told the court that Ewald has a prior record that includes charges of stalking, witness intimidation, and violating a restraining order. She recommended that he be held on $5,000 cash bail and be ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device, stay away from the victim and all MBTA property, and undergo a mental health evaluation. Based on information that he may have access to firearms, Powell also recommended that he be ordered to surrender all firearms.

Judge Thomas Horgan imposed $3,000 bail and all the recommended conditions except the evaluation.

The victim, an adult female, reported on Wednesday morning that she had been assaulted the prior evening while riding the Green Line between Park and Kenmore stations during rush hour. The assailant, she said, had groped her even after she pushed his hand away, told him to keep his hands to himself, and attempted to move away from him.

After disembarking, the woman spotted the assailant while leaving the platform area, where he allegedly said, “I’m sorry.” A short time later, as she walked along Commonwealth Avenue, she saw him again behind the wheel of a dark blue sport-utility vehicle.

“Aren’t you going to say hi to me?” He allegedly asked as he slowed down next to her.

The woman gave Transit Police detectives a detailed description of the assailant and provided them with the license plate number of his vehicle. Investigators ran the plate number and found it came back to a blue 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee registered to Ewald.

After obtaining Ewald’s Registry of Motor Vehicles photo, they found that he matched the assailant’s description. The victim picked his photo out of an array without any hesitation.

Based on their investigation, detectives obtained a warrant for Ewald’s arrest on Wednesday and took him into custody yesterday. He was represented at arraignment by attorney Gerry Shea and will return to court on Aug. 16.

–30–

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.