John McCarthy
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man allegedly took a machete to a victim and his car in downtown early this morning.
Jefferson Mikel Titus, 44, was arrested about 10:55 a.m. today and charged with third-degree assault, destruction of property and disturbance of the peace (threat), the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
A man told police he was driving his car near Weekes and Weekes Bakery on Guttets Gade when he saw Titus following behind him in his vehicle.
When the man stopped in the parking lot of House of Pastries & Deli on Strand Gade, Titus allegedly parked his car in a way to block him in, according to the VIPD.
Then Titus approached the man in his vehicle and broke the driver’s side window with a machete and began chopping at the man inside car — exposed by the broken window, VIPD spokesman Glen Dratte said.
The chopping led to the man receiving a laceration on his left hand, according to Dratte.
When Titus started trying to assault him with the machete inside the car, the victim said he was able to escape out the passenger-side door with Titus chasing after him on foot with the machete after that, police said.
Police patrol units from the Richard N. Callwood Command were dispatched to the scene about 7:16 a.m. today, Dratte said.
Bail for Titus was set at $25,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
