A Bethel police officer is facing charges in connection to a fatal crash that happened on Route 8 last year, state police say.

Jessenia Beamonte turned herself into police Tuesday.

The crash occurred just after midnight Jan. 12, 2025 near Exit 7 in Shelton.

State police say a Honda CR-V rear-ended a Honda Civic De Sol. The Civic then lost control, crossed into the southbound lanes and crashed into a Honda Accord.

A 14-year-old girl who was passenger in the Civic died.

Following the crash, the Honda CR-V left the scene.

According to a police warrant, state police received a call from a man, identified as C. Beamonte, around 1:30 a.m. who said he was involved in a collision and that his car was parked at D'Addario Collision Center in Shelton.

At the time, police were unaware of his involvement in the crash, but soon learned he was driving the CR-V. They also learned he was traveling between 82 and 89 mph when he rear-ended the Honda Civic.

Around 2:15 a.m., state police were informed by Jessenia that her brother, C. Beamonte was involved in the crash, and she wanted to take him to Griffin Hospital. During their investigation, police learned that Jessenia did not report the crash immediately. Instead, she left D'Addario Collision Center and drove the opposite direction of the hospital.

While at the hospital, Beamonte refused to provide a statement to police and said he consumed one beer at a Fairfield restaurant prior to the crash. He also told officers his sister would not give a statement, either.

Police say after the crash, Jessenia spoke to a fellow Bethel officer about the crash. She said she was not concerned that her brother drank four drinks, but that he left the scene. She was told to call 911 and go back to the scene.

The police warrant says that after that conversation, Jessenia called a law firm.

Police would learn that her brother made a series of calls to a lawyer that would later represent him.

Officers determined that C. Beamonte waited 44 minutes to report his role in the crash and Jessenia waited 1 hour and 16 minutes from the time she contacted her brother until she called 911.

They also obtained video that show C. Beamonte drank at least 10 alcoholic beverages before the crash.

In their warrant, police wrote that it "should have been evidently clear to Jessenia that C. Beamonte was involved in a motor vehicle collision due to the substantial damage to his vehicle. They also wrote that because of her job as an officer, Jessenia "would be trained in knowing the prongs of evading responsibility following a motor vehicle collision."

They also state that there was a 33-minute gap between when Jessenia called 911 to say she was taking her brother to the hospital and her first conversation with her fellow officer.

Police say Jessenia had substantial time to request medical service or take her brother to the hospital.

They wrote in the warrant that Jessenia "knowing and willfully impeded a police investigation, delayed contacting police and or emergency services, and utilized her professional law enforcement training and knowledge to obstruct and hinder the investigation."

Jessenia was charged with hindering prosecution, interfering with an officer and accessory to evading responsibility causing injury or death.

She was released on $250,000 bond and is expected to appear in Derby Superior Court Jan. 29.

State police say additional arrests are pending in the coming days.