Chester Police Log for Dec. 23, 2014 to March 31, 2015

Editor’s Note: The Chester Telegraph Police Log is a sampling of incidents directly from Chester Police reports. We do not identify individual victims of crimes nor those who have been arrested.

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 11:52 a.m.

Chester officers responded to a call from an employee at Green Mountain Union High School for the reckless driving and behavior of a student. The student fled the scene before the police arrived and did not immediately return home, where police searched for him. After leaving several messages, they finally got in contact with the mother, however since the student is 18 years old police told her  they needed to talk with him. The phone  was handed over to the student who was then told he needed to go to the Police Department to be served a citation. This was done and a court date was set.

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 10:09 a.m.

A local business owner reported that a woman wrote two bad checks — one for $140.40 on Dec. 7, 2014 and one for $51 on Dec. 15, 2014. Around the same time, the same woman had passed a bad check for $85.93 at another Chester business.  On Feb. 12, the woman went to Chester Police Department and was cited to appear in Windsor Superior Court.

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2:24 p.m. 

A man called the Chester Police Department reporting to have been defrauded out of $140. A woman approached him claiming to be in need of money and used to attend church with his mother. With her promise to pay him back and the woman’s driver’s license as security, the complainant gave her the money to pay fees to retrieve a $10,000 Certificate of Deposit. Six days later — on Jan. 21 —  another man reported to have been defrauded by the same woman for the same amount. This man had met the woman at church several years prior, in Springfield. Upon further investigation it was found that surrounding towns were reporting the same type of scam. After several unsuccessful attempts to reach the woman by phone, she was served a citation at her Springfield residence by the Springfield Police. On Feb. 25, she called the Chester Police Department and talked with the officer on the case. She originally denied  the scam within the past year but when presented with proof, decided to revise her statement. She was cited to appear in Windsor Superior Court on charges of the counts of False Pretense and 1 attempted False Pretense. She was also cited in another town.

Sunday, Jan. 18, 11:48 a.m.

An officer responded to a call from Dodge Road for a family fight. A man called to complain that his girlfriend was in an altercation with her sister. Upon speaking with the girlfriend, she seemed calm and said it was a verbal disagreement when her sister struck first. The sister was more emotionally upset stating that she didn’t want her younger sister to get in trouble.

Saturday, Feb. 14, 6:19 p.m. 

A couple reported lost on a snowmobile trail off Water Farm Road and could not find their way out. Upon reaching the area, the officer and the woman talked on the phone to try and establish their whereabouts using emergency lights and sirens. She and her partner followed the sound and light out of the woods and then received a courtesy ride back to their vehicle and main road.

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 10:13 p.m.

Complainant had gotten stuck in between his bed and the couch and could not get up. Before an officer could respond, the complainant reported that his roommate helped him up and that everything was OK.

Thursday, Feb. 19, 3:25 p.m.

A call was received from residents in the Mountain View neighborhood that a green van was trying to sell cleaning products door to door. When a Chester officer responded, the vehicle could not be found. It was located at Breezy Lane and the owners were advised that a permit was required to sell such items in Chester, then directed to the Town Office.

Thursday, Feb. 19, 4:28 p.m.

Complainant reported that his tenants were moving out of a fully furnished apartment and taking the furniture with them. While enroute the complainant followed up by saying the the furniture was not indeed the original furniture.

Thursday, Feb. 19, 6:40 p.m.

Chester Police pulled over a Massachusetts vehicle that was having difficulty maintaining its lane and was following another vehicle too closely. The defendant stated that he had consumed one beer about three hours earlier and submitted to various sobriety exercises. He was taken into custody without incident for suspicion of driving under the influence and taken to the Rockingham State Police barracks for processing. The driver was then issued a citation to appear in court and released to his wife.

Thursday, Feb. 19, 8:19 p.m. 

A driver was traveling west on Vermont Route 10 and slid forward off the roadway when making a right turn onto Route 103 N. Conditions were wet but not icy so there was no justifiable reason to have such difficulty. The driver’s passenger reeked of intoxicants and was stumbling and slurring his speech, but there were no indications in the fresh snow that they had switched places after the accident. A tow truck pulled the vehicle back onto the road.

Saturday, Feb. 21, 2:06 p.m.

A driver traveling south on Andover road slid through the intersection on Route 11 W after trying to stop due to speed and winter conditions. Vehicle slid off the opposite side and had to be pulled back onto the roadway.

Sunday, Feb. 22, 8:45 a.m.

Town Highway contacted Chester Police during a snowstorm to inform them of a road blockage due to an abandoned boat on Kirk Meadow Road. It appeared that the owners got stuck, unhitched and continued on. There were no identifying markers on the boat and neither the boat nor its trailer was legal to be on the road. A towing company came to remove the vehicle just as the the owner arrived. He stated that he tried to move it the previous night but got stuck. After informing him about the illegality of the vehicle, a ticket was issued and the boat was towed away.

Monday, March 2, 1:48 p.m.

Manchester’s chief of police called Chester Police to say that he was talking to a young woman who claimed that two men had driven to Chester the previous evening, and beaten a man until he wasn’t breathing. The attack stemmed from an alleged sexual assault that took place two years ago. The Chester officer went to the last known address of the man and talked with the man’s brother. He then followed up with the man in question’s mother and with her help got in touch with the man, who, as it turns out, had moved to Virginia several months ago. Police spoke with the man by phone. Chester Police contacted Manchester Police to discuss the findings.

Thursday, March 5, 8:01 p.m.

Chester officer assisted Chester Fire Department as they extinguished a permitted burn in the Depot area. The fire warden said that the owner put materials on an active contained fire that were not allowed to be burned. The owner was very agitated and was yelling at all the firefighters on the scene. The owner disassembled the fire. Upon leaving, the owner yelled, “I’m suing the town and somebody is going to pay.”

Thursday, March 5, 3:11 p.m.

Complainant reported received a strange e-mail from the U.S. Post Office regarding a request she sent on a delivered package in 2013.  She went to the local Post Office where she was told that the item number she received was not real. The officer found the number was attached to a delivery made in Pennsylvania in 2013. It was advised that the complainant create a new e-mail address.

Friday, March 6, 6:14 a.m. 

A call was received that the Chester Fire Department was responding to Elm Street for a reported fire. The responding officer arrived to secure the scene and provide traffic control.

Friday, March 6, 2:22 p.m.

Chester officer responded to the Jiffy Mart parking lot for a two-car motor vehicle crash. Operator 1 said she was backing out of a marked parking spot, and her vision was obstructed by a vehicle parked next to her. Operator 2 said he was pulling into the lot when Vehicle 1 backed into his passenger side.

Friday, March 6, 12:49 p.m. 

A Chester officer responded to the NewsBank building for a report of a 911 miss-dial. The woman who answered the door called several departments within the building, and advised that there was no emergency.

Friday, March 6, 2:54 p.m.

Chester officer responded to South Main Street for a three-car motor vehicle crash. All vehicles involved were off the roadway. Operator 3 was stuck by Vehicle 2. Operator 2 said Vehicle 3 was stopped in the roadway and that she was hit by Vehicle 1 before coming to a complete stop. Operator 1 did not see Vehicle 2 or 3 as being stopped or slowed. He said he was not distracted and the crash occurred due to his inattention. Minor  to moderate damage noted on all three vehicles. Chester Ambulance medics attended to Operator 2 who was nine months pregnant.

Saturday, March 7, 8:53 p.m.

While on a traffic stop around Route 11 East, yelling was heard coming from a residence. After clearing the traffic stop, the officer made contact with the occupants. Everything was fine, two young boys had locked themselves out and had been yelling to be let back in.

Saturday, March 7, 10:40 p.m.

An officer stopped a Vermont car that was being driven erratically. The passenger was identified as a Massachusetts man who had an outstanding warrant for cultivation of marijuana. He was arrested and was transported to Southern State Correctional Facility.

Sunday, March 8, 10:12 a.m.

While on patrol, an officer got a call for an oil spill at the Church of Christ, just across the Chester-Springfield line. Springfield Fire Units were busy with other calls. The building had two home heating oil tanks. The officer found that someone had transferred the contents of a 550 gallon tank to a 500-gallon tank and 50 gallons had overflowed onto the ground. This issue was then taken up by the Springfield deputy fire chief.

Tuesday, March 10, 6:33 p.m. 

Complainant requested a police escort to pick up his daughter from the mother. Prior to this, the mother declined to release the child. Later, Springfield Police were called that the complainant forcibly took the child from the mother in Springfield.

Wednesday, March 11, 6:02 a.m. 

U.S. Marshal’s Office requested assistance in the apprehension of a man on a federal warrant. The man reported to have been living on Depot Street. Ten marshals and two Chester officers secured the perimeter of the house. The person who answered the door lied about the man’s whereabouts and the man was found in a bedroom. He was taken into custody without incident and is now with the U.S. Marshals.

Thursday, March 12, 6:26 p.m.

While on patrol on Route 11W, an officer found an open gate to an empty building’s parking lot. A side door was found unlocked. Two officers cleared the building finding nothing suspicious.

Saturday, March 14, 2:51 a.m.

An officer was dispatched to Mattson Road, where, police were told, someone was attempting to break through a wall into a house with an axe and that he was either drunk or on drugs. Familiar with the man, who lives in the attached apartment, dispatch advised that he has been known to carry knives and is violent when intoxicated. The complainant also said the man was yelling about aliens. Vermont State Police were called for assistance. As they approached the residence with weapons drawn, they ordered the assailant to put his hands up, to which he complied. As they handcuffed him and placed him a cruiser, he made statements that someone was trying to break into his house. The complainants stated that the man had just come into a large sum of cash, was very paranoid and not sleeping. The complainants also stated that man believed there were people in the woods trying to break in. He was unable to provide a full sample for a breath test. He was then informed he was under arrest and transported to Springfield Hospital to be evaluated by a mental health screener. He refused any medical treatment and was not seen by a professional. He was lodged at Southern State Correctional Facility and cited to appear in court on March 16.

Thursday, March 19, 5:24 a.m.

Chester Police assisted Internet Crimes Against Children with a search warrant and subsequent arrest of an adult male for evidence of child pornography and luring children. Two days later, his mother called to say that her son had been receiving death threats on Facebook after a recent WCAX news story regarding his arrest. Upon looking over the postings, police concluded that the messages were derogatory but were not death threats.

Sunday, March 22, 7:33 a.m. 

A man reported that he was receiving threatening text messages from his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend of Hartland. Upon contacting the ex and advising him that it needed to stop or face arrest, the ex apologized and stated he would stop. As of the March 26, no further texts have been received.

Tuesday, March 31, 5:20 a.m.

Chester Police officers were called out to Watkins Road for a reported disturbance. After fleeing from the scene, being found and finally taken into custody, the suspect was charged with simple assault, aggravated assault, unlawful mischief and possession of a regulated drug. A court date was set for April 1, 2015 at Southern State Correctional Facility for all charges.