Chester Police Log for Feb. 21 to May 19, 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.

Saturday, Feb. 21, 4:10 p.m.

Police were sent to Green Mountain Turnpike at VT Route 11 east for a one-car accident. Upon arrival the officer saw that a car had gone over the steep snow bank and was sitting on its nose in the deep snow. The driver was sitting in the complainant’s vehicle to stay warm. The car was towed back onto the road, and there was no obvious damage even after the snow-packed engine thawed. No one was charged.

Saturday, March 28, 6:50 p.m.

Police spotted two young men  throwing something — determined to be Mardi Gras beads — at the Jiffy Mart sign above the entrance. The two had returned to their car and police pulled them over to investigate the crime of vandalism/unlawful mischief. A store clerk said that the pair didn’t have permission to decorate the sign with beads and wanted them taken down, which the two did. Police found that one of the men had an active warrant and was taken into custody. At that time, the officer detected a strong odor of marijuana on him. A search produced a broken glass pipe with marijuana residue inside and a grinder containing finely ground marijuana. The second young man was asked if there was any remaining marijuana or paraphernalia in the vehicle. But he refused to have the car searched.

Sunday, March 29, 2:36 p.m.

A Chester officer responded to a car accident at Flamstead and Watkins roads. The complainant said a Ford Ranger had gone into a ditch and had two broken axles. The officer headed to the scene and was met by the Ford Ranger. Its driver yelled something unintelligible when the two vehicles met. After trying to evade the officer, her vehicle stalled and she continued to scream incomprehensibly, The officer spotted two men walking ahead, but both refused to respond and took off on foot. The driver claimed not to know them. Further investigation revealed that the Ranger was not registered, had no insurance and the plates on it did not belong with it. The man who had pulled her out of the ditch said that this was the fourth time he had done so that day. He added that she was driving erratically and damaged a parked car. He also said that she had stated she was going to kill the two men who police spotted walking and even tried to run them down with her vehicle. He also said that after pulling her out of the ditch, one of the two men tried to unhitch the chain, and she backed into him. He also claimed to see her put a powdery substance into the men’s soft drink.  The Ranger was towed and the driver was cited.

Sunday, April 12, 8:11 p.m.

A bartender at the American Legion reported that two vehicles and their occupants were in the back parking lot, making her nervous. Upon arrival the complainant and one of the two vehicles had left. The officer checked the area and found nothing.

Friday, April 17, 6:32 p.m.

An officer went to Circle Drive after a complainant said a neighbor was shooting a pellet gun at his daughter and at his barn. The father stated that he caught the neighbor on video shooting the pellet gun at his barn while his children where inside. He added that his daughter and a friend went for a walk and the neighbor shot in their direction. The officer watched the cell phone video that showed the neighbor firing a pump-action pellet gun out the second story window of his home. The complainant’s son provided a sworn written statement that he was in the barn with his sister and a friend when he heard a sound like a pellet hitting the barn. He heard the sound again and told his father. The daughter said she heard the noise while in the barn and while walking back to the house, adding that she knew it was a BB gun because this had happened before with the same guy. The officer then questioned the neighbor who said he was “being a dumb ass basically … (because I was) bored.” He added that he was shooting at random stuff and the gun “wasn’t even loaded.” The officer was unable to tell if the weapon had been loaded or not. The neighbor then said that if it had been loaded, he didn’t know it was and his actions were ignorant.

Monday, April 20, 9:37 a.m.

Police responded to the Stone Hearth Inn for a complaint that an employee’s vehicle had been rummaged though. The complainant said that her vehicle had also been rummaged through although nothing was missing. An inn guest also said that her vehicle may have been tampered with, and that its windows had been rolled down all night. She stated that a $40 pair of sunglasses and about $10 in change were missing.

Thursday, April 30, 12:51 a.m.

Someone called to complain that a driver was driving erratically on Route 11 East heading into Chester. An officer caught up to the vehicle at the Sunoco. The operator stated that he pulled into the closed store to send a text to his wife. When asked about the erratic behavior, he said it must have been when he pulled off, then back onto the road quickly, while debating whether to send his text. Sensing no signs of impairment the officer issued a written warning.

Thursday, April 30, 5:31 p.m.

Police responded to a report of a permitted burn, but the creator of the fire was not tending to it nor was he on the scene, which was a violation of the permit. Chester Fire responded to distinguish the fire in the field, which is opposite Green Mountain Union High School. The creator was driving away in a vehicle that was overdue for inspection. Another officer stated that the owner had told him that he was trying to see how long he could last with the expired inspection without getting stopped and ticketed. The car’s owner and creator of the fire was issued a warning.

Monday, May 4, 2:22 p.m.

Two unregistered dogs were fighting on Pleasant Street. The owner of one dog was upset that the other dog was above the weigh limit for the apartment complex and is violent. The officer has had a number of interactions with the large dog, which he believed seemed friendly and non-violent. The officer told the complainant that police didn’t enforce the rules of the apartment and she needed to contact the manager. The officer then spoke to the owner of the larger dog who stated that his dog had gotten out when he opened the door. The owner was advised to keep better control. The owner also told the officer that because the dog is a service pet, the apartment complex had no issues with its weight. He was advised to register the dog. The complainant thought she had more time to re-register her dog and was ready to fight the disagreement on the registry date with the officer.

Tuesday, May 5, 6:53 p.m.

Dispatch told Chester police that a woman was complaining that a vehicle was following her, that it was all over the road and that it tried to pass her on the right on Route 103. The officer stopped the suspect vehicle. The driver said he was heading home to Brattleboro from a softball game in Ludlow and the complainant had been tailgating him for several miles. He added that he had then pulled over to let her pass. He said that he then began doing the same thing to her in retaliation, and did not deny that it was a bad decision. As a result of what was a clearly a case of road rage, both parties left with a warning.

Wednesday, May 6, 10:18 p.m.

A Chester officer responded to Springfield after hearing a sergeant on the radio calling out a foot pursuit. The subject was reported to be heading toward Chester and was resisting. The officer met the sergeant at McDonald’s where  one male was on his stomach in the parking lot, hands cuffed behind his back. After several attempts by the suspect to run away, the Springfield sergeant attempted to put shackles on the suspect’s ankles but his ankles were too large. After another unsuccessful attempt using another pair, they tried to remove his shoes. The suspect replied, “I think I’ll keep those” and resisted their removal. A Vermont State Trooper aided in subduing the suspect. But despite the removal of the shoes and socks, the shackles still wouldn’t fit around his large ankles. The suspect was then taken to the Springfield Police Department.

Friday, May 8, 5:23 p.m.

Police received a report of an open, illegal, unpermitted burn on Popple Dungeon Road. The officer found an unattended burn. Upon exiting the vehicle, the officer could smell a strong odor of a petroleum product burning, like plastic. The owner of the property arrived shortly and was identified via his Massachusetts drivers license. He admitted it was his fire and was reminded of the statewide burn band in effect for open fires. He has been given four separate warnings for similar violations.

Saturday, May 9, 9:08 p.m.

An officer observed a vehicle off the road at North Street and Green Mountain Turnpike. The officer was told by the driver that she had struck a piece of road debris. An investigation revealed that the vehicle’s oil pan and gas tank were ruptured. Chester Fire responded to deal with the leaking fluids and the vehicle was removed.

Thursday, May 14, 9:16 a.m.

A woman came into the Chester Police Department worried about the erratic behavior of her neighbor. She claimed that the part-time resident would come to her property and do weird things like yelling for using a leaf blower, hiding in the bushes then running away and threatening to kill her dog after it got loose once. An officer advised her that police would issue a Trespass Notice and recommended she attempt to get a stalking order from the court. Upon request, the officer went to home of the neighbor and issued a no trespass notice.

Thursday, May 14, 11:03 a.m.

The principal of Chester-Andover Elementary School called police because a student was out of control and assaulting teachers. She stated that the school called his mother, who said she was not coming and to have the police deal with it. The responding officer called the mother advising her that she needed to respond or have her son taken into state  custody. Upon arrival at the school the officer found the young boy on the floor of the principal’s office, screaming. Two teachers were restraining him as the officer spoke to him at length to get him calm. The officer decided to take over and the two teachers advised that they had been assaulted already, including a kick to the face. The officer stayed and spoke with the student until his mother arrived. The mother was irritated with the school and the officer but later calmed and asked to speak with the principal and the officer. She said she had requested services from Health Care & Rehabilitation Services, to no avail. The officer suggested she try the Department for Children and Families and demand to have a case worker assigned to them and act on her behalf. The officer also advised the school to call DCF and report the incident. This was the seventh time that this has happened with the male student but the school neglected to report to DCF those six previous times. No further action, prosecution declined due to the child’s age.

Thursday, May 14, 2:21 p.m.

A man came to the Chester Police Department to recover a knife that was taken away from him. A quick check revealed the active arrest warrant for failing to appear on docket. He was then taken to Southern State Correctional Facility.

Friday, May 15, 10:04 a.m.

An officer arrived on Thompson Road for reported multiple gunshots. The complainant stated that this was an ongoing problem. Daily, the gunshots scare her animals and bother other neighbors, she said. After checking the area of Wymans Falls Road and surrounding area, the location of the gunshots was not found. Still an ongoing issue.

Friday, May 15, 4:51 p.m.

An officer on routine patrol along Green Mountain Turnpike observed a black sedan drive through a stop sign at a higher speed. Following in pursuit, the officer caught up about a mile away and stopped the vehicle. The woman driving was advised why she was stopped. Her male passenger was acting nervous and was then asked for his identification. His New Hampshire license linked him to an active warrant for his arrest. After a confirmation from dispatch, the officer took the subject into custody and transported him to Southern State Correctional Facility. A written warning was issued to the driver for her violations.

Saturday, May 16, 3:51 a.m.

Police were called to Route 11 West and Lovell Road for the report of a man lying in the roadway waving his arms in the air. The officer found the man lying in the grass on the shoulder of the road with his arms in the air. Upon slowing down, the officer could hear him calling for help. The man was unable to stand on his own and his speech was heavily slurred, he gave off a strong odor of intoxicants when he spoke. While trying to right himself, with assistance from the officer, the man fell to the ground multiple times. He claimed to have consumed no alcohol but stated that he couldn’t stand because he had taken too many Percocets. Based on the officer’s observations it was believed that the man had consumed alcohol. There was an attempted preliminary breath test, but he kept asking for a lawyer. Of the three times the test was offered, he refused each time. While being transported to Springfield Emergency by a Chester ambulance, he soiled himself, which is further indication of high levels of intoxication. He was transported to Southern State Correction Facility to be held until sober. About five hours after original contact, he breathed .167% blood alcohol content.

Sunday, May 17, 5:33 p.m.

A complainant told police that his grandchildren said that they heard a bullet fly through the trees next to the house. The officer made contact with the people shooting on Mattson Road. Man and son were shooting a .22 and a shotgun prior to officer’s arrival. It was observed that the range that they were shooting in was not in the direction of the complainant’s house.

Tuesday, May 19, 10 a.m.

Complainant calling to advise her 11-year-old daughter didn’t want to go to her father’s for visitation because last time she was there, he drank a beer. The complainant was told that a beer was not a safety issue and that she needed to abide by the court visitation order. The officer advised her that they only enforce criminal law and not civil so she should seek help from the Department for Children and Families and the court.

Tuesday, May 19, 10:38 a.m.

Police assisted Chester Fire Department at the scene of an illegal burn on Green Mountain Turnpike, at the request of the town fire warden.