CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix man who reportedly suffers from mental illness allegedly snuck up on a fast food restaurant customer waiting in line for fast food and began stabbing him in the back on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
Andres Ponce, Jr. of Bethlehem Village, was arrested after 3:15 p.m. Sunday and charged with first-degree assault and carrying or using a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Police said their investigation revealed that Ponce approached “an older Hispanic man from behind and stabbed him several times in the shoulder and back” at Wendy’s Restaurant in the Sunny Isle Shopping Center, the VIPD said.
“The attack was stopped by a family member of Ponce who was with him. Ponce was detained by an off-duty police officer who was nearby,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
The victim left Wendy’s restaurant and was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital & Medical Center for treatment, Derima said.
Police said Ponce is known to suffer from mental illness. The stabbing victim remains in stable condition at the hospital.
Bail for Ponce was set at $25,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
On January 3 at approximately 3:15 p.m., the 911 Emergency Call Center dispatched officers to the Wendy’s fast food restaurant at the Sunny Isle Shopping Center in reference to an assault.