POLICE SAY VISITOR PUNCHED DOG, MAN IN EAST LYME

East Lyme — Police have arrested a man who allegedly punched a dog in the face and then beat up an acquaintance because he wanted to sleep in the acquaintance’s bed.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Jordan Shelton, 34, was at 22 Peggy Lane in the early morning hours of Aug. 8, looking for a place to stay. The man who lives there, 48-year-old Thomas Rolfe, told police he said Shelton could stay only if he slept on the floor.

Shelton allegedly tried to get into Rolfe’s bed anyway. When Rolfe told him he couldn’t sleep there, the affidavit states, Shelton punched Rolfe’s dog in the face, causing it to yelp. When Rolfe told Shelton not to punch his dog, Shelton began punching Rolfe, according to the affidavit.

In a statement, Rolfe told police Shelton hit him almost 20 times before fleeing on a bike. Rolfe also said he did not know Shelton to be violent prior to this incident.

Police photographs of Rolfe’s injuries documented a bloodied nose along with a deeply bruised and swollen left eye and other red marks. The dog did not have any visible injuries.

Police said they checked 12 Black Point Road — Shelton’s last known address — and found Shelton’s mother, who saw him the night before and gave a clothing description but said he rarely stays at the house.

Police then visited the home of Shelton’s uncle at 12 Tabernacle Ave. Outside, officers found a black bike that appeared to recently have been ridden, according to the affidavit. Police said no one at 12 Tabernacle Ave. answered when officers knocked on doors and windows.

Based on their investigation, police applied for and received a warrant for Shelton’s arrest earlier in October. On Monday, police said, a Waterford officer located Shelton walking along state Route 1 near Clark Lane and took him into custody on the outstanding warrant.

In his statement to police, Shelton denied having punched Rolfe or Rolfe’s dog. Shelton told police he visited 22 Peggy Lane the night of Aug. 7 because Rolfe was having a party. Shelton said he left by 11 p.m. with a group of people he couldn’t name, according to the affidavit.

Shelton is facing charges of third-degree assault and cruelty to animals. Released on a $1,000 nonsurety bond, he is due Nov. 8 in New London Superior Court.

Police records show Crystal L. Carey, 37, of 219 Broadway, Norwich, is the accused. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to drive in the proper lane.

The wreck, called in not long after 1:30 p.m., happened between Union and Washington streets.

On scene, fire officials said the driver first sideswiped a Jaguar XF before plowing into the back of a Volkswagen Jetta. The force of the crash pushed the Jetta into a classic Volvo 240 owned by Michael Peery.

The right rear fender of Peery’s car was left distorted by the wreck. The Jaguar suffered significant denting and scratched paint. The Jetta’s back end was smashed.

According to Peery, both the Jetta and his 240 ended up a full parking spot in front of where they had been. Peery said he works in a studio nearby and heard the crash, but didn’t realize his vehicle was involved until a friend told him.

When Peery got to the scene, he said, the woman behind the wheel was not responding to his knocks on the driver’s side window. By 1:45 p.m., however, she was out of her truck.

After Carey performed a series of sobriety tests on the sidewalk, police cuffed and placed her into a cruiser.

Records show Carey was released on a $2,500 nonsurety bond and is due in New London Superior Court Nov. 14.