Charges filed against former New Ipswich elected official 

The New Ipswich tax collector/ assessor has lodged two charges of simple assault; physical injury or bodily injury against a former member of the town’s now defunct budget committee.

Jessica Olson filed the charges against Alan Doyle after he allegedly lifted her shirt up on two separate occasions at the town hall on Dec. 5, 2017.

Olson initially sought to secure a restraining order against Doyle although, after two days of testimony, a judge denied the request earlier this year. After the order was dismissed, Olson filed two simple assault charges, which are both class B misdemeanors, against Doyle over the same incident. 

Marc G. Beaudoin, a state police officer for Troop B, testified in the court in Jaffrey on April 20 that New Ipswich Chief Timothy Carpenter asked him to take over the investigation in February. 

Beaudoin testified in court regarding what he knew about the case, according to court documents. Olson told the state officer that at about 5 p.m. on the night the incident occurred Doyle came into the town office for a selectmen’s meeting. Olson said she walked out of her office that night to make some copies while Doyle was sitting in a chair in the common room of the town office. As she was returning from the copier, Olson said Doyle stood up and said, “Oh, Jessica turn around for a minute.” Olson said at the time she thought something might be on her back, so she did a half turn to look over her shoulder. She said Doyle then “lifted the back of her shirt up and over her buttocks.” Olson said Doyle told her, “I’m just peeking.” Olson said she was “shocked” and turned to walk into her office.

Olson said she walked back to her office, put her head in her hands, and said a few curse words under her breath. An employee working in the office at the time asked Olson why she was upset. Olson told the woman what had happened. 

At about 6:30 p.m. that same night, Olson said she walked out of her office to make some final copies when she heard Doyle behind her, walking up the hallway. Olson said that he was making “some weird mouth noises” as he approached her. Olson said she never turned around, she was just frozen in the spot she was standing. Olson said Doyle “raised her shirt over her buttocks a second time,” while he said, “I’m just gawking.” She said she turned away from him and returned to her office. Olson said she told her assistant that Doyle had lifted her shirt a second time. 

Olson reported the incident to the town administrator at the time. An investigation into the matter by the town concluded that Doyle shouldn’t come to the Town Hall without a prior appointment and ask that he resign from the now disbanded budget committee that he was a part of at the time. But after the investigation, there were some encounters between Olson, Doyle, and Doyle’s wife Rebecca, which caused Olson to obtain a temporary stalking order. After multiple days of testimony, the court eventually decided not to grant the final order, and the petition was dropped. 

Doyle testified in court during the proceedings earlier this year that he and Olson had a flirty relationship. Doyle said when he was sworn in as a budget committee member, Olson told him it was “too bad that he was not a budget committee member earlier because he could have seen her in a skimpy dress.” Doyle also testified that Olson “regularly hugged and kissed him when he came into the town hall.”

Doyle testified that on the night of Dec. 5, he pulled the back of Olson’s shirt out of her belt and that he said, “woo, woo” when he pulled on it. He denied lifting or touching Olson’s shirt a second time that night. Doyle said when he pulled on Olson’s shirt that she “giggled, smiled, and shook herself a little bit.” 

Doyle’s friend Rob Stanley testified in court earlier this year that he had witnessed Olson give Doyle a hug and a peck on the cheek in the past. Rebecca also testified that she had witnessed Olson hug and his her husband in the past at the town hall. Rebecca also said that Olson did a “butt wiggle” for her husband once. 

Doyle’s bail was set at $1,000 with conditions that he doesn’t have any contact with Olson, among other things. Doyle, who works for the Department of Defense, is scheduled to appear in court on July 9 at 8:30 a.m. 

Abby Kessler can be  reached at 924-7172, ext. 23 4 or akessler@ledgertranscript.com.