Man Accused of Beating St. Croix Resident and Setting His Home on Fire After Police Complaint

ST. CROIX — A 42-year-old man is facing arson and assault charges after allegedly beating a resident with a stick and setting his container home on fire in Work and Rest on Friday, shortly after the victim filed a police report against him over vandalism and a dispute involving a missing spear gun. Joshua Torres was arrested Friday and held on $100,000 bail after police responded to the incident, which left the victim with injuries to his head and forearm and his residence destroyed by fire. According to a police report filed in court, the victim first visited the Ancilmo Marshall Police Station on Friday morning to report a man he identified as “Joshua.” Just over an hour later, the 911 Emergency Call Center received a request for police and emergency medical assistance for a man bleeding from the head in the Work and Rest area. Responding officers encountered the same man who had visited the station earlier that morning. He told police that Mr. Torres had attacked him after learni...