Ex-New Haven
officer facing burglary charges after allegedly trying to steal a generator
MIDDLETOWN — A former New Haven police officer recently
arrested on a weapons charged was arrested again over the weekend and charged
with burglary and larceny for allegedly stealing a generator, state police
report.
John Kelly, 45, 1 Brookside Ave., Old Lyme, was in Middletown Superior Court on Monday and Judge Susan Handy set bond for $25,000 cash or surety, which he posted through a bail bondsman. According to court personnel, Kelly will be held on a suicide watch and is due back in court July 20.
State police responded to call of an accident on June 23 around 10:45 a.m. and found a pickup truck in the middle of the travel lane on New City Street in Essex. The truck came back as registered to Kelly, and the trooper found him a short time later, walking back to the truck.
Kelly told police he had run out of gas and was pouring gas from a Dunkin’ Donuts cup into the truck, police said. He was disheveled and dirty, wearing one shoe and hobbling around, stating he had sprained his ankle, police said.
John Kelly, 45, 1 Brookside Ave., Old Lyme, was in Middletown Superior Court on Monday and Judge Susan Handy set bond for $25,000 cash or surety, which he posted through a bail bondsman. According to court personnel, Kelly will be held on a suicide watch and is due back in court July 20.
State police responded to call of an accident on June 23 around 10:45 a.m. and found a pickup truck in the middle of the travel lane on New City Street in Essex. The truck came back as registered to Kelly, and the trooper found him a short time later, walking back to the truck.
Kelly told police he had run out of gas and was pouring gas from a Dunkin’ Donuts cup into the truck, police said. He was disheveled and dirty, wearing one shoe and hobbling around, stating he had sprained his ankle, police said.
Kelly was able to start the truck and told police he was
going home. Less than two hours later, troopers responded to a call from
Kelly’s ex wife, saying Kelly was on Dennison Road limping and “acting
strange.”
Troopers reported seeing the truck in the roadway again, and Kelly, “sweating profusely” said he was out of gas again, according to police. While waiting for a tow truck to arrive for Kelly, police were approached by a man who said he lived on the road and said he found a cup of water in his garage.
Police asked Kelly if he had been in the man’s house, and Kelly allegedly said he went into the garage for water and gas. Kelly had a newer Honda generator in the bed of his truck and the man identified it as his generator, police said. Kelly, however, told police he had found it in the bushes behind the man’s house and had tried to get gas from it, then placed it in the back of his truck. After investigating, police determined the generator had been in the back of the man’s garage.
When police arrested Kelly, he became irate and yelled “cops are supposed to take care of each other,” police said, and that “the state police were out to get him.” He tried to minimalize the incident by saying he had only gone into the garage a few feet, police said.
Kelly, who was a New Haven police officer for 21 years and has also served in the U.S. Navy, said he had a stellar career as a police officer in New Haven, according to state police. According to statements made in court, Kelly suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
While in the cell at the state police barracks, Kelly was yelling, banging on the cell doors and walls, and covering himself in water from the sink, police said. He was unable to post the $5,000 bond and was taken to Hartford Correctional until his arraignment Monday.
In February, Kelly was charged with second-degree reckless
endangerment, illegal discharge of a firearm and illegal carrying of a firearm
while under the influence of liquor for an incident in Old Saybrook where he
lived at the time. He is accused of accidentally discharging his firearm into
another person’s kitchen while cleaning his weapon because he was drunk,
according to police.Troopers reported seeing the truck in the roadway again, and Kelly, “sweating profusely” said he was out of gas again, according to police. While waiting for a tow truck to arrive for Kelly, police were approached by a man who said he lived on the road and said he found a cup of water in his garage.
Police asked Kelly if he had been in the man’s house, and Kelly allegedly said he went into the garage for water and gas. Kelly had a newer Honda generator in the bed of his truck and the man identified it as his generator, police said. Kelly, however, told police he had found it in the bushes behind the man’s house and had tried to get gas from it, then placed it in the back of his truck. After investigating, police determined the generator had been in the back of the man’s garage.
When police arrested Kelly, he became irate and yelled “cops are supposed to take care of each other,” police said, and that “the state police were out to get him.” He tried to minimalize the incident by saying he had only gone into the garage a few feet, police said.
Kelly, who was a New Haven police officer for 21 years and has also served in the U.S. Navy, said he had a stellar career as a police officer in New Haven, according to state police. According to statements made in court, Kelly suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
While in the cell at the state police barracks, Kelly was yelling, banging on the cell doors and walls, and covering himself in water from the sink, police said. He was unable to post the $5,000 bond and was taken to Hartford Correctional until his arraignment Monday.
Officers seized numerous weapons from his home at the time and noted in the report that Kelly did not seem to grasp the seriousness of what had happened. He posted a $75,000 bond in that case and is due back in court on those charges on July 20.