SALEM, NH – A man who allegedly attacked and strangled a fellow hotel worker in Salem Monday morning is facing felony and misdemeanor assault charges.
Police arrested Benjamin Boynton, 30, of Hooksett and charged him with second-degree assault, a Class B felony, and simple assault, a Class A misdemeanor.
A female housekeeper was cleaning a hotel room at the Holiday Inn on Keewaydin Drive when a male temp worker, later identified as Boynton, entered the room, grabbed the woman and threw her to the ground, according to Salem Police Capt. Jason Smith.
At the same time, Boynton allegedly shut the door to the room.
“While (the victim) was on the floor, he began to choke her with both his hands, to the point she could not breathe,” Smith said.
The woman fought back and moved to a point where she could reopen the door to the room, at which point a witness arrived and helped to pull the male suspect off the victim. The man, later identified as Boynton, then fled the scene.
Police were dispatched to the hotel at about 11:45 a.m., according to police logs. Smith said Officer Michael Cummings identified the suspect as Boynton and developed probable cause for his arrest. Police issued a stop-and-hold BOLO (be on the lookout) for Boynton.
Hooksett Police located Boynton and his vehicle at a Hooksett hotel. Boynton was transported to Salem, processed and later transferred to the Rockingham County jail. It was also discovered Boynton was on parole for a previous armed robbery conviction and he was held without bail on a parole violation.
Boynton was convicted for a 2014 armed home invasion with an accomplice in Concord, according to news reports.
Police do not know Boynton’s motive for allegedly assaulting the housekeeper. He had no past relationship with the victim and there was no work assignment requiring him to be in that room, according to police.
Boynton was due to be arraigned virtually Tuesday afternoon at Rockingham County Superior Court, but waived his arraignment.
He is being held on preventive detention.
