PETERSHAM – Former Selectboard member Nancy Allen, 66, will be in Gardner District Court on Tuesday, Oct. 21, for a hearing on a charge of permitting injury to an elder.
The case stems from a March 2023 incident that resulted in months of hospital stays for Charles Crowley III, referred to in court documents as Allen’s boyfriend. Crowley was 66 at the time. He died in September 2024.
Allen’s attorney, Michael Hussey, told the Athol Daily News, “It’s a terribly tragic case. This couple had a loving relationship for more than 30 years. He was ill for a number of years before he left the home during this incident.”
A spokesperson for the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment, citing the ongoing case.
Allen resigned her seat in December 2023 after purchasing a home in another community. She was first elected to the board in 2009, serving a single three-year term and was reelected in 2016, 2019 and 2022.
The incident was investigated by Massachusetts State Police Officer Ryan MacLean, who received a report of elder abuse on March 1, 2023. His reports states that Crowley spent two and a half days on the floor of his office at 17 Common St., the home he shared with Allen, after sliding out of his wheelchair on Feb. 18, 2023, and being unable to get himself up off the floor.
According to the report, Charles Crowley spoke with his brother Paul Crowley the following day and never mentioned he was lying on the floor, only that he had a cold. In a phone call on Feb. 20, Allen reportedly told Paul that she had continued to check on Charles, but that he refused her assistance because he is a “proud individual.” Paul told her to call 911 for assistance but, according to the police report, she did not do so until the following day.
Petersham Police Chief Peter Buck responded to the scene and performed an awareness check on Charles Crowley, reportedly finding him to be “of sound mind.” Buck then informed Allen he would have to report the incident to Elder Services. An ambulance arrived, and EMTs informed Allen that they, too, would need to contact Elder Services, according to the police report.
Over the next six months, Charles Crowley was in several hospitals and medical facilities including Athol Hospital, Heywood Hospital, CareOne Rehab, Emerson Hospital, PAM Health in Stoughton and Mass General.
According to the police report, a caseworker at LifePath in Greenfield who spent time with Charles Crowley said it appeared that Allen had not “acted in malicious fashion” in the incident. Reports of abuse, she said, “were unsubstantiated,” and claimed instead that Charles Crowley had engaged in “self-neglect.”
A worker with Adult Protective Services, according to the report, also spoke with Charles Crowley and reported he was not receptive to the idea of physical rehabilitation. She described him as “anti-Western medicine.”
Late last year, after further investigation, MacLean, the state police officer, took his report to Worcester County Assistant District Attorney Ed Karcasinas, who charged Allen with assault and battery upon an elderly or disabled person (neglect).
Hussey said Crowley’s death was due to “a combination of ailments; none of them — that I’ve ever seen — directly resulting from this episode.”
Hussey said that on Tuesday he will move that the case be continued without a finding.
“We’re hoping to resolve it that day. There are no grounds to dismiss the case outright. What I’m asking is that the case be continued for six months or a year and then dismissed. Arguably, there’s a case that she recklessly disregarded his health needs; someone could think that. I don’t think that really captures what happened, but for it to be continued without a finding is probably the best conclusion to this case for everybody involved,” he said.
Allen, was arraigned on Jan. 28 of this year and released on personal recognizance. The formal charge, according to court documents, is permitting serious injury to an elderly or disabled person. Allen has made several court appearances since then. If convicted, Allen could face two and a half to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.