Mystic — A former Hartford police officer with a lengthy criminal history was arrested around noon on Tuesday after Stonington police say he anchored his 30-foot boat in the channel of the Mystic River just south of the drawbridge, refused to move and began shouting obscenities at other boaters.

Kenneth Elyosius, 62, of Bristol was charged with breach of peace, illegal obstruction of navigation and simple trespass. He was being held on $5,000 bond and is slated to be arraigned in New London Superior Court on Wednesday if he cannot post bond.

Police said Elyosius is the same man who docked his boat overnight alongside the swimming raft at Dubois Beach at Stonington Point earlier this month, prompting calls from concerned residents worried the boat would tear the raft loose, causing it to wash ashore.

Police added that they have dealt with Elyosius on several recent occasions and issued him trespassing warnings as he became an “unwanted guest” at marinas and establishments along the Mystic River and Stonington Harbor.

On Tuesday, police said, Elyosius’ sailboat was tied up at Seaport Marine, and he then left the dock, becoming disabled in the river. There, he anchored in the busy channel off Mystic River Park, just south of the drawbridge. Police said they then spent an hour trying to convince him to move the boat, but he refused. He then rowed a small boat to the Groton side of the river where he was taken into custody. The Mystic Fire Department boat assisted in getting the sailboat to the dock, where it was secured.

Elyosius has multiple convictions in Connecticut for impersonating a police officer, drunken driving, violation of probation and other charges. In 2003 he was convicted of assaulting a Bristol police officer, and in 1997 he was charged with assaulting two Manchester police officers. The results of that case could not be determined. In past cases, his attorneys were quoted in media reports as saying Elyosius had problems with alcohol abuse.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas