Posted by Cape Cod Daily News via Hyannis News
Friday September 05, 2025 (6 hours, 58 minutes ago)
BARNSTABLE, MASSACHUSETTS – [HN “VIDEO” NOTES] – A man later identified as Ilous Atkinson, 53, currently residing in South Yarmouth, was reportedly making bizarre statements to police officers while being arrested last evening. And the bizarre statements reportedly continued throughout the entire booking process. While being placed in the back of a Barnstable Police cruiser, Atkinson reportedly blurted out, “Do I have to leave America?” For some unknown reason Atkinson seemed worried about being deported. Hyannis News was present when a Barnstable Police patrolman gently reassured Atkinson that he was being taken back to BPD Headquarters for booking… and in so many words, the patrolman indicated that Atkinson was being arrested for motor vehicle charges and that he was not being removed from the country this particular evening. Atkinson still appeared worried. Sources found Atkinson’s comments bizarre because all of his legal paperwork related to last evening’s drunk driving charges appeared to be in order.
At around 10:00 p.m. last evening, Barnstable Police patrol officers were dispatched to an address at Jacqueline Court in Centerville after a woman reported that an intoxicated man had just walked up to her house and opened the front door. The woman also reported needing to “push him out,” according to radio transmissions. The man was apparently unknown to the woman, and he was reportedly now sitting inside a vehicle parked in the roadway in front of her home. Barnstable Police dispatch apparently ran Massachusetts registration 4TEF 84 and it came back to a blue Chevy Silverado. (Officers would later learn that “4TEF 84” was actually attached to a blue Chevy Equinox, the one currently being driven by the man in question.)
As you will hear in the following Hyannis News “video,” the man in the Equinox had reportedly already driven away from Jacqueline Court prior to officers arriving. The Equinox was said to have turned onto Great Marsh Road heading toward Phinneys Lane. Barnstable Police Sergeant Thomas Edwards arrived in the area and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Equinox. Sergeant Edwards apparently had his lights and siren activated when the Equinox failed to stop for him, continuing on Phinneys Lane in the direction of Route 132. Additional Barnstable Police cruisers immediately began heading towards the sergeant’s pursuit to assist. The Equinox, still not stopping, reportedly passed Huckins Neck Road at 38 miles per hour. The Equinox then blew through a stop sign at Phinneys Lane and Old Strawberry Hill Road. The Equinox then passed the entrances to Barnstable Police Headquarters on Phinneys Lane before traveling across Route 132, according to radio transmissions. An additional police unit had now caught up to the pursuit, taking over radio transmissions for Sergeant Edwards. The Equinox then reportedly passed Attucks Lane and the dog park, still not stopping, and still traveling on Phinneys Lane at 40 miles per hour, according to radio transmissions. The pursuit had now crossed over into Barnstable Village. Dispatch updated those involved that the suspect’s registered address was 1276 Route 28 in South Yarmouth, in case he continued in that direction. Officers eventually were able to convince the suspect to stop at Phinneys Lane and Hyannis-Barnstable Road, although the suspect’s vehicle was now facing in the opposite direction as if he wanted to head back toward Route 132. Atkinson was detained without incident as the investigation continued.
Atkinson was observed to be confused and unsteady while attempting field sobriety tests.
Officers removed a plastic baggie containing a white substance from the Equinox, placing it on the roof. Officers also seized what appeared to be several prescription pill containers from the Equinox. Several officers appeared interested in an unusual aerosol canister, which also ended up being seized. (Hyannis News will update these details as more information becomes available.) The contents of the Equinox were documented by BPD officers and a member of the sheriff’s crime scene unit took various photographs.
Ilous Atkinson, 53, currently residing in South Yarmouth, faces at least two charges at the time of this report – Operating Under the Influence of Drugs and 2nd Offense Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol. No further details available at this time.
* HN reminder: all defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The following “video” contains HN still photographs from the scene of the arrest. The video also includes Barnstable Police Department radio transmissions related to the pursuit blended in with the photos. The radio transmissions are not in sequence with the photos.
[HN VIDEO – PRESS PLAY]
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