KINGSHILL — A St. Croix man was arrested Friday after police said he strangled a family member during a domestic dispute last month, authorities said.
Fitzroy D. Browne, 57, was arrested and charged with second-degree assault, simple assault & battery-domestic violence, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began on December 26, when the 911 Emergency Call Center got a report of a disturbance in progress at a family residence in Estate Strawberry Hill, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Fitzroy D. Browne, 57, of Estate Strawberry Hill in St. Croix.
Responding officers met with the parties after they had been separated by family members, police said.
An investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Bureau uncovered that Browne strangled a family member during a heated argument, VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
“This assault was corroborated by witnesses that were present at the time,” Chichester said.
Browne was present at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station on Friday and was advised of his Miranda Rights, according to police.
Asked to make a statement, he denied assaulting the victim and stated that the victim assaulted him, according to Chichester.
Browne was arrested, booked and processed at the police headquarters in Mars Hill.
No bail was offered to Browne due to the territory’s domestic violence statutes.
The suspect was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility in Estate Golden Grove.
Browne is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court at 9:00 a.m. on Monday.