Peter Bruce, Former Milford High Guidance Director, Acquitted of Assault Charges

Peter Bruce, the former head of Milford High School guidance services, has been found not guilty of three felony assault charges brought against him in July 2012.

The verdict Friday followed a two-day jury trial in Framingham District Court, according to court records.

Bruce, 42, was acquitted of three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. The charges brought by Framingham Police followed an incident July 7, 2012 in which three boys said that he had chased them with his car in a parking garage.

The boys were riding bicycles, and one of them fell off his bike trying to get away, according to police.

Bruce told police following the incident, and testified at his trial, that he did not chase the boys, but had just told them to leave the garage. The three boys, ages 11, 12 and 13, all testified as well, said Bruce's attorney, Francis Doran of Natick.

"[The jury] obviously found his testimony to be credible in light of the flaws in the police investigation. They decided to arrest Mr. Bruce after a five-minute investigation."

Framingham Police interviewed an adult witness and the three boys, but did not go into the garage to conduct any investigation or look for physical evidence of a chase, Doran said.

Bruce has not been able to find work in education since the arrest and his subsequent firing by the Milford Public Schools. Doran said he wants to work again as a counselor, his chosen field, but had been unable to find work while the charges were brought against him. He said he was not sure if his client wanted to seek his old job again, as a year had passed.

At the time of his firing, Bruce led five full-time employees at Milford High School.

"A career evaporated in five minutes," Doran said, of the arrest.

"What a trial is is a vetting of the facts. Do these allegations hold up?" he said. "That process didn't happen within the administration of Milford Public Schools."