CLINTON — On Friday, May 23, 2025, at approximately 11:53 p.m., Clinton Police Officer Shane Gilman was notified over the radio by Sergeant Joseph Lefebvre that Berlin police were pursuing a vehicle that was failing to stop while heading northbound on Route 70 toward Clinton.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Shane Gilman and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“Further information was transmitted that it was a red sedan,” Officer Gilman said. “I began making my way down Chestnut Street and observed Sergeant Lefebvre in a marked Clinton police cruiser sitting in a stationary position at the bottom of [the intersection of] Route 70 [and] River Road. Almost simultaneously I observed a red sedan traveling northbound on Route 70 at an extremely high rate of speed, which I estimated to be in excess of 80 mph as it approached Sergeant Lefebvre’s position.”
Officer Gilman said that Sergeant Lefebvre later advised him that he had estimated the vehicle to be traveling at least 80 miles per hour. Officer Gilman noted that he did not observe any Berlin police cruisers behind the vehicle at that time.
“I then pulled my cruiser to the side of the road at the bottom of Chestnut Street on the bridge,” Officer Gilman said. “As the vehicle passed Sergeant Lefebvre’s, he activated his cruiser’s blue overhead emergency lights and pulled out behind the vehicle.”
Officer Gilman said that as the vehicle passed his location, he activated his blue overhead emergency lights and pulled out behind the vehicle, positioning himself in front of Sergeant Lefebvre.
“I then observed the vehicle cross over the double yellow lines and pass another motorist on the wrong side of the road, in excess of 80 mph, without regard for the other motorist, and continue to accelerate up the hill (north) on Chestnut Street,” Officer Gilman said.
Officer Gilman said that Sergeant Lefebvre advised him he would handle radio communications, as Gilman was the primary cruiser in pursuit.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Advertise with us today!
Since our launch in February 2022, News Link Live has reached over 2.2 million viewers in Massachusetts and beyond. Interested in a targeted advertising campaign? Contact us at newslinklivealerts@gmail.com or book a consultation call with us through the button below to explore your options today!
“We continued up Chestnut Street and the vehicle abruptly turned left without signaling into the parking lot of All One Credit Union, 159 Mechanic Street, Clinton, MA, at approximately 60 miles per hour nearly losing control and striking a median in the parking lot,” Officer Gilman said. “The vehicle deliberately accelerated through the parking lot towards an exit located on Pleasant Street.”
Officer Gilman said the vehicle accelerated onto Pleasant Street without braking and immediately turned left into the driveway of 183 Pleasant Street, continuing down the driveway to the rear of the property where another residence, 185 Pleasant Street, is located.
“I then exited my cruiser along with Sgt. Lefebvre who was a short distance behind me,” Officer Gilman said. “Due to the operator’s repeated and deliberate attempts to elude law enforcement in such a reckless manner, Sgt. Lefebvre and I utilized extreme caution and conducted a high-risk motor vehicle stop.”
Officer Gilman said that he and Sergeant Lefebvre both drew their department-issued firearms as they approached the vehicle and gave loud verbal commands for the occupant(s) to exit the vehicle and show their hands.
Officers Kyle Grady and Matthew Champagne arrived on scene a short time later, along with officers from the Berlin Police Department, where the incident had initially begun.
“I approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and Sgt. Lefebvre approached the passenger’s side,” Officer Gilman said. “I then removed the sole female occupant from the vehicle without further incident and placed her in handcuffs behind her back. She was identified as Melissa V. Gradov.”
According to police, Melissa V. Gradov, 25, is a resident of 185 Pleasant Street, Apt. [# redacted], Clinton, MA.
Officer Gilman said that Gradov was operating a 2016 red Honda Accord with Massachusetts plates and was the registered owner of the vehicle. He added that it was also determined Gradov’s driver’s license was suspended in Massachusetts.
“Sgt. Lefebvre and I began to ask Gradov why she didn’t stop and was driving in such a dangerous and reckless manner and she responded she was Door Dashing and she knew she was coming home,” Officer Gilman said. “Sgt. Lefebvre and I told Gradov the way she was driving she could have hurt or killed herself or someone else and she sarcastically responded, ‘Well, I didn’t.’”
Berlin police then informed Gradov that she was under arrest and took her into custody.
Officer Gilman stated that he mailed three Massachusetts Uniform Citations to Gradov and requested a certified copy of her license status from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Officer Gilman added: “Gradov entered a thickly settled area traveling in excess of 80 mph in a posted 30 mph zone consisting of residential housing, commercial business, and sidewalks on both sides of the road. It should be noted the road conditions were dry and other motorists were on the road at the time of this incident.”
Officer Gilman requested Gradov be summonsed to Clinton District Court for the following charges:
- Operating after Suspension
- Failure to Stop
- Speeding 80mph/30mph zone
- Negligent Operation
- Marked Lanes Violation
- Failure to Signal
- Seat Belt Violation
- Passing Violation
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in May, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
To learn more about News Link Live’s unique business model, please read the following:
An online business model that could replace local newspapers
Why The Leominster Champion Failed
The Medium is the Message by Marshall McCLuhan
The Ego and the ID by Sigmund Freud