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Bristol police cite man for domestic abuse for third time

BRISTOL — A Bristol man with a notable rap sheet was arrested again Thursday, this time on five charges.
Police on March 20 arrested Samuel Hellmuth, 36, on suspicion of first degree domestic assault, violating conditions of release, unlawful mischief, trespassing and interfering with emergency services.
According to police, Hellmuth broke into his ex-wife’s Bristol home by kicking in a door and then threatened to harm the woman and her son. While in the home, Hellmuth allegedly used a pair of scissors to stab his chest and cut his wrists, then told his wife not to call the police.
Hellmuth had active conditions of release, which ordered him to have no contact with his ex-wife.
By the time police arrived at the scene, Hellmuth had left. Police located him at a Mountain Street home and took him to Porter Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. At the hospital, tests showed that Hellmuth had a blood alcohol content of 0.357 percent. For a point of reference, that number is more than four times the legal limit for driving of 0.08.
Afterward, Bristol police transferred Hellmuth to the custody of the Addison County Sheriff’s Department.
Hellmuth’s arrest was his third since December. Police arrested him Dec. 21, just hours after a judge issued a relief from abuse order against Hellmuth. Two weeks later, police again arrested Hellmuth on Jan. 8, also on suspicion of violating the relief from abuse order.
After the first two arrests, Hellmuth was arraigned and released on conditions. In both the December and March arrests, police suspected Hellmuth of being under the influence of alcohol.
He was due to be arraigned in Rutland County Superior Court Friday afternoon after the deadline for this issue of the Independent.
Chief Kevin Gibbs on Friday morning said he believed Hellmuth was likely to run afoul of the law again if he is released on conditions.
“I think he is extremely dangerous, he seems to be escalating every time,” Gibbs said. “In this case, he forcibly entered the home and stabbed himself in front of his estranged wife.”
Commenters on the Bristol Police Department’s popular Facebook page expressed similar sentiments.
“I think this is the third time I’ve seen this same man arrested in the last couple of months,” one poster wrote. “Perhaps he should stay locked up until he comes to his senses.”
In other recent activity, Bristol police:
On March 11 cited a 15-year-old Mount Abraham Union High School student for possession of marijuana following a Feb. 27 incident in which staff found the student with marijuana on campus. The teen, a Lincoln resident, was on probation from a previous drug charge at the time, police said.
On March 14 arrested Bristol resident Dean Allen Bushee, 41, on suspicion of selling narcotics, driving with a suspended license and violating the conditions of his release. After receiving information that Bushee was involved in a drug transaction, police obtained a search warrant for Bushee’s home and vehicle.
When police arrived at his home they saw Bushee driving a vehicle and arrested him. Part of the conditions of his release from a prior arrest dictate that Bushee cannot drive. Bushee was arraigned and lodged at Chittenden County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Bushee was previously arrested Oct. 10 after he allegedly failed to stop for a crossing guard during school hours. During the stop, police discovered Bushee’s license had been suspended after his third DUI conviction, and arrested him.

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