KINGSHILL — A man was arrested Monday after parading around St. Croix naked in an overdue rental car, authorities said.
Warren Freeman, 52, of St. Croix, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, third-degree assault and interfering with an officer discharging their duties, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Officers were dispatched by the 911 Emergency Call Center to Clifton Hill at 9:53 a.m. Monday after receiving a call requesting police assistance.
The call was made by a male individual after his mentally ill brother arrived at the residence naked and making threats in a Centerline Car Rental Jeep that was overdue, according to the VIPD.
“Officers arrived at the location and interviewed the complainant, who stated that his brother Mr. Warren Freeman was walking in the nude during the weekend,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.. “The complainant further stated he was threatening the neighbors saying he is going to harm them.”
A Centerline Car Rental employee, who was present to pick up the vehicle along with VIPD officers approached the vehicle, that was parked to the side at the rear of the house, according to Dratte. The engine was idling, and a naked Warren Freeman was sitting in the driver’s seat.
Officers made several attempts to get Mr. Freeman out of the vehicle by advising him to turn the vehicle over to the rental company, police said.
Freeman then rolled up the window and reversed the vehicle down the embankment hitting the police vehicle, then drove forward at a high rate of speed, thus using the vehicle as a weapon coming towards the officers and the Centerline Car Rental employee, the police spokesman said. The officer discharged their weapon striking the Jeep which caused Freeman to stop. No one was injured during the incident.
Bail for Freeman was set at $100,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility, pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
