Tristan Joseph Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. THOMAS — A man appeared before a V.I. Superior Court judge on Monday after being arrested December 16 on charges of aggravated assault and battery on an officer, interfering with an officer while discharging his duties and disturbance of the peace.
The arrest of Tristan Joseph follows a report of a disturbance at the Lanai Restaurant at LimeTree in St. Thomas. According to the probable cause fact sheet, when police arrived at the location, they made contact with Joseph who appeared to be disoriented as he was yelling, pacing the floor and talking to himself with blood dripping down his right hand.
Officers ordered Joseph to get out of the facility several times, but he did not comply. Joseph then walked out of the kitchen, at which point police tried to restrain him but were unsuccessful due to Joseph acting wild and pulling away, according to the probable cause fact sheet. An officer and a retired Superior Court Marshal took Joseph to the ground and attempted to place him in handcuffs but were unsuccessful.
Court documents further state that Joseph reached out and grabbed the officer by his throat. The officer deployed a taser to gain Joseph’s compliance, who appeared to be on an abusive substance due to his behavior. Joseph pulled out the prongs from his body, pushed the officer and went back into the kitchen. He then came right back out and was extremely combative with law enforcement personnel, however they were able to place him in handcuffs.
The retired Supreme Court Marshal told police that he was walking to the restaurant when he observed Joseph swaying from side to side, being loud and boisterous, using profanity and throwing trash in the bushes. He said he sat down at a table with his wife to have dinner, and while doing so he heard loud noises coming from the kitchen. Shortly after, he saw Joseph walking out of the kitchen in a heated verbal altercation with a female employee. That’s when the retired Supreme Court Marshal called 911.
The female employee told police that after hearing the loud noises coming from the kitchen, she went to inspect and saw a very angry Joseph. She hugged him to try to calm him down, but he pushed away from her, causing him to hit his head. Joseph was transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center for treatment. He was later taken to the Richard N Callwood Command.
In court on Monday, a judge ruled that Joseph would be released pending trial upon the posting of $1,000 cash. He will be barred from leaving the St. Thomas- St. John District without the court’s written permission and must report to the Office of Probation once a week. He was also barred from entering the Lanai Restaurant unless it is to retrieve his belongings.
