Convicted Felon Runs from Bethel Police on Whitney Road

Early Saturday morning, Danbury man Matthew Ricci, 39 of Hospital Avenue, was pulled over on Whitney Road in Bethel for a motor vehicle violation, but after refusing to stop, he got out and ran on foot.

According to the police report, after a "brief foot pursuit," police were able to arrest Ricci. He was also seen throwing a item while he was running from police. Officers later recovered a small electronic defense weapon (stun gun). It was later determined that Ricci was driving with a suspended license and was a convicted felon and is prohibited from posessing such an object.

Ricci was charged with criminal possession of an electronic defense weapon, failure to display plates, disobeying the signal of an officer, operating under suspension and interfing with an officer. He was held on $10,000 bond.

Sgt. Michael Libertini was the arresting officer in this case.