A student's alleged illegal possession of a bottle of beer in Newtown High School on the morning of Tuesday, January 27, escalated into a larger incident, with police charging the boy with six criminal offenses following a foot chase near the school.

Police said that Justin Gaynor, 16, of 12 Alberts Hill Road was found to be in possession of a bottle of beer in the high school, so he was taken into custody at about 9:15 am.

But while in custody by School Resource Officer Steve Ketchum, Gaynor ran away, darting through the school's corridors. While pursuing Gaynor in a stairwell, Officer Ketchum twisted and sprained his ankle, incapacitating him, police said.

Other police were alerted that Gaynor had escaped.

Gaynor left the school and then ran about outside the building, briefly going atop the building's roof, after which he leapt from a relatively low section of the roof without injury, and then bolted off across the school's rear parking lot toward Oakview Road, police said.

At that time, several police had reached the area and Detective Jason Frank spotted the fleeing Gaynor, police said.

Frank then pursued Gaynor, who was heading onto private property posted against trespassing, police said. When Gaynor reached the eastern shore of the Pootatuck River, he stopped, and Det Frank apprehended him, police said. The elapsed time between Gaynor's escape and apprehension was approximately ten minutes, police said.

Police again took Gaynor into custody and charged him with illegal possession of alcohol by a minor, escape from custody, interfering with police, reckless endangerment, breach of peace, and third degree criminal trespassing.

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Officer Ketchum to Danbury Hospital where he was treated for a sprained ankle and then released, police said.

Police held Gaynor on $10,000 bail overnight for an arraignment on the charges before a judge on January 28 in Danbury Superior Court.