Bethel Officer Charged for Delaying Report of Brother's Fatal Route 8 Crash

Bethel Officer Charged With Hindering Prosecution After Brother's Fatal Hit-and-Run

A Bethel police officer was arrested in January and charged with helping her brother avoid accountability after a high-speed crash on Route 8 in Shelton that killed a 14-year-old girl, according to the Connecticut State Police.

Jessenia M. Beamonte, 32, turned herself in at the state police barracks in Bethany on January 14, 2026. She faces charges of accessory to evading responsibility involving a death, third-degree hindering prosecution, and interfering with an officer. Her bond was set at $250,000.

Beamonte's brother, Carlos F. Beamonte, 39, of Shelton, was arrested two days later on seven charges including second-degree manslaughter. His bond was set at $750,000. Both are scheduled to appear in Derby Superior Court.

Route 8 Crash Killed 14-Year-Old Waterbury Volleyball Player

The crash occurred on January 12, 2025, shortly before 12:40 a.m. on Route 8 North between Exits 9 and 7 in Shelton.

Carlos Beamonte was driving a 2013 Honda CR-V northbound at speeds between 82.6 and 89.4 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone when he rear-ended a 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol driven by Devin Ramsubhag, 37, of Waterbury, according to the Hartford Courant. The impact sent the smaller car across the grass median and into the southbound lanes, where it was struck by a 2011 Honda Accord.

Chloe Alyssa Ramsubhag, 14, was seated on the passenger side and was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 1:03 a.m. She was a freshman at Wilby High School in Waterbury and a member of the school's volleyball team. Her father, Devin Ramsubhag, sustained broken bones and a concussion. The driver of the Honda Accord also suffered serious injuries.

After the crash, Carlos Beamonte fled the scene. He drove his damaged vehicle to a collision center on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton and parked it there. He did not call 911 until 44 minutes after the crash, at 1:26 a.m.

Surveillance Footage Shows 8 Drinks at Fairfield Bar Before Crash

Surveillance footage from Elicit Brewing in Fairfield showed Carlos Beamonte at the bar from 7:40 p.m. to 11:47 p.m. on the evening of the crash. He consumed at least eight alcoholic beverages: one cider, one beer, two Bud Lights, three Michelob Ultras, and three Jameson cocktails, Fox61 reported.

When questioned by police, he initially claimed he had consumed only one beer.

Bethel Officer Called Fellow Cop Before State Police, Delaying Report by 97 Minutes

The timeline of Jessenia Beamonte's actions after the crash is central to the charges against her.

According to the arrest warrant, Jessenia met her brother in a parking lot in Shelton shortly after the crash. Rather than contacting state police, she called a Bethel police sergeant.

At 1:44 a.m. — more than an hour after the crash and 18 minutes after her brother called 911 — Jessenia called a Bethel police sergeant. She told him her brother had been in a crash after drinking "four beers between 8 p.m. and midnight" and that he had left the scene, according to the Hartford Courant.

She made a second call to the same sergeant at 2:07 a.m. She did not contact Connecticut State Police until 2:17 a.m., approximately one hour and 37 minutes after the crash.

State troopers found a license plate at 3:20 a.m. linking Carlos Beamonte to the fatal collision.

The fact that Jessenia's first call went to a fellow officer at her own department rather than to the state police investigating the crash is at the core of the hindering prosecution charge. Prosecutors allege she delayed official reporting of her brother's involvement in a fatal crash.

Bethel Police Department Places Officer on Administrative Leave

The Bethel Police Department placed Jessenia Beamonte on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal review. The department issued a statement saying it "takes these matters seriously" and holds officers to "high professional and ethical standards."

Carlos Beamonte was arrested on January 16, 2026, at approximately 6:30 a.m. when he turned himself in on an active warrant. His seven charges include second-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, evading responsibility resulting in death, two counts of evading responsibility resulting in serious physical injury, and tampering with physical evidence.

A candlelight vigil was held in Waterbury drawing dozens of mourners to remember Chloe Ramsubhag. Her father watched the vigil via FaceTime from his hospital bed, NBC Connecticut reported.

Both cases are pending in Derby Superior Court. No trial dates have been set.

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