Mugshot of Jason Felix. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — The suspect in a stabbing incident that left three people seriously injured is now before the courts on an array of charges.
According to court documents, police responded to 911 calls about a disturbance on the Christiansted Boardwalk around 9 p.m. April 4. They met two men who were being treated on the scene by emergency medical technicians. One of the men told officers that it all started when a man, later identified as Jason Felix, kicked his dog.
Felix, the first man said, became aggressive over the presence of the dog, reportedly escalating the confrontation until he pulled two knives from his waistband. The dog owner, who said he had been backing up as Felix advanced, told police he now apologized to the irate man, and turned to walk away.
Felix reportedly took advantage of the dog owner's turned back to punch him in the head, before lunging at him with the knives. Several bystanders reportedly tried to intervene, only to receive the same treatment. Two other people received knife injuries in the incident, with one victim sustaining a stab wound to the neck. Bleeding severely from his wound, he was transported to the Juan F. Luis hospital for treatment.
The other victim, who remained on scene receiving care from the EMT's, had been stabbed in the forearm by Felix, he said. He says he saw his assailant approach the dog owner to complain about the animal sniffing him. He told police that Felix got aggressive despite the man's apologies, and began cursing and spitting on the dog owner. Attempts by others to calm him down had the reverse effect, and Felix reportedly turned his aggression on bystanders. The man told police he had been caught in the forearm by Felix's swinging knives. After noticing the third victim's serious injuries, the man told police, Felix fled the area.
Medical staff at the hospital informed investigating officers that the neck wound sustained by the third victim was millimetres away from being fatal, requiring eight stitches to close.
Felix was apprehended in the vicinity of the boardwalk, reportedly with two knives in his possession. He was charged with first and third-degree assault, simple assault and battery, throwing bodily fluid or waste at a person, second-degree animal abuse, possession of a dangerous weapon, and disturbance of the peace by fighting.
Remanded into custody on an initial $75,000 bail, Felix was scheduled to appear before Magistrate Yolan Brow Ross on Monday for his advice of rights hearing. While public court records indicate that a pre-trial release order was issued for Felix, the details of his release conditions have not been made available as of press time.
