Current Court Report - March 11, 2025
David Creed •
This week’s Current Court Report includes arraignments and dispositions from Monday’s Nantucket District Court session. It is led by an individual having his bail revoked following a second drunk driving arrest in less than six months as well as a hit & run incident involving a Tesla being struck on Broad Street.
Jose Antonio Juarez Castaneda, 27, of Nantucket was arraigned on March 4th charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle lights violation, a marked lanes violation, and failure to stop/yield. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and had his bail set at $100 cash, $1,000 surety on this case.
Nantucket District Court Judge James Sullivan revoked Castaneda’s bail on another open case stemming from a September 22nd incident where Castaneda is also alleged to have been driving under the influence of alcohol with a child in his vehicle. He was arraigned on these charges in October of 2024.
The Cape & Islands District Attorney’s office requested Sullivan revoke Castaneda’s bail on this matter – citing him as a danger to the island community. Sullivan concurred and revoked the bail. Castaneda is being held in the Barnstable House of Corrections.
Bishnu Simkhada, 49, of Nantucket was arraigned on March 9th charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (second offense), negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and leaving the scene of property damage. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court March 22nd for a pretrial hearing.
According to the police report, officers responded to Broad Street on Sunday just before 5 p.m. following the report of a Black Tesla being struck by a car that fled the scene. A witness of the accident spoke with Simkhada after seeing the crash and told police they believed he was under the influence of alcohol. When the witness went to inform the owner of the Tesla of the incident, Simkhada allegedly got in his car and left the scene.
Police eventually pulled Simkhada over in the area of Easy Street and Broad Street and could allegedly smell the odor of alcohol emanating from the vehicle after Simkhada opened the car door. He allegedly admitted to consuming two beers earlier in the day.
Cassandra Marie Bustos, 35, of Nantucket was arraigned on a March 5thcharge of assault & battery on a family/household member. She had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court April 14thfor a pretrial hearing.
Khvicha Papashvill, 51, of Nantucket will have Feb. 12th charges of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and possessing a Class E drug dismissed on the condition Papashvill complete one year of pretrial probation.
Ninya Prince, 27, of Nantucket will have a May 29th, 2022 charge of leaving the scene of property damage dismissed following the payment of an undisclosed amount in court costs.
After being continued without a finding for 16 months, Sean G. Roche, 56, of Nantucket had a July 30th, 2021 charge of assault & battery on a person over the age of 60 dismissed.
Estefany Carolina Vivas Tejada, 27, of Nantucket had a Nov. 10th, 2024 charge of assault & battery on a family/household member dismissed after the alleged victim in the case declined to cooperate with prosecutors.
*All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty under a court of law*