Mugshot of Jeffrey Naar. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — Police have arrested a man from Virginia after he allegedly brutally assaulted his girlfriend during a visit to St. Croix.
Jeffrey Naar was arrested on Monday afternoon after a distressed woman ran into the Anselmo D. Marshall Police Precinct crying out, “Ayo, please help me because this man wants to beat me up!” An officer secured the woman in the break room and then exited the station to make contact with Naar. He was taken into the police sergeant’s office and later questioned.
When police interviewed the victim, they observed a black and blue mark on her arm and redness to her face. She reportedly suffered bruises to the right and left sides of her temple and complained of pain to her head. Her left jawline was also black and blue and there were several other bruises about her body.
She explained that she and Naar were involved in a verbal dispute the previous day after returning from a day sail. Naar accused the woman of disrespecting him because she was dancing on the boat and an unknown man on the boardwalk was looking at her while the boat docked.
According to the woman, while traveling back to the residence Naar stopped the vehicle, exited the car and walked around to the passenger side where she was seated. He then grabbed her hair and pulled her out of the vehicle before driving off, leaving her with no phone. However, he eventually returned and she got back into the vehicle. During their drive to their residence in Estate Solitude, Naar yelled at her and allegedly threatened to kill her and himself. The woman says when they got home he parked his vehicle in front of hers, blocking her from leaving.
They entered the house and Naar took the keys for her vehicle along with her house keys and cellphone and refused to give them back. He continued to yell and scream at her about the man on the dock, then allegedly began punching her to the head and about her body, despite her asking him to stop. According to the woman, Naar then grabbed a handful of her braided hair and dragged her into the bedroom wall, threatening to kill her. She said that he stood behind her, placed his finger under her left jawline, and pushed and squeezed. She then attempted to leave but Naar pushed her into the wall, causing her to hit the back of her head and fall to the floor. He reportedly knocked her to the floor two more times as she attempted to leave. According to the woman, while she was on the floor, Naar told her, “know your place.” She told the police that everything happened quickly and she simply wanted to leave to avoid it. She eventually went to the couch but was unable to sleep and could not leave because she was afraid and unable to make contact with anyone.
According to the woman, the next day they went out to get supplies to patch a hole in the wall caused form Naar pushing her into it. She then took tablets for her pain and fell asleep. When she woke up she told Naar that she wanted to paint the patch and he returned the keys to her vehicle so she could go to the store. He made her promise to return home. She says she used that opportunity to return several calls to friends and family.
However, when she was driving back to the residence she observed Naar driving in her direction, looking for her. He asked her who she was speaking with and took her cellphone from her when she did not respond. He then became upset and told her, “Don’t go anywhere without me; anywhere you go, I am coming with you!” He then took her cellphone and keys away but returned the keys after she said she had to drop some items off at the beach. She then entered her vehicle and drove to the police station, but Naar followed her there.
When police interviewed Naar he denied all the allegations. He did however admit to a verbal dispute because he felt disrespected by the woman dancing in the presence of another man. He claimed that he only held the victim and she lost her balance, falling backwards and colliding with the wall. Naar further told police that he did not recall anything because he blacks out when he is upset. He was arrested and charged with simple assault and battery, disturbance of the peace by threats and false imprisonment. Each of the offenses have been categorized as crimes of domestic violence.
At his advisement hearing on Wednesday, Naar’s bail was set at $1000. He must post the amount in full. Upon his release, he will reside with a relative in St. Croix as he has been ordered to surrender his passport and is not permitted to leave the territory without written court permission. Naar is prohibited from having any direct or indirect contact with the complainant who has already left the territory according to police.
