A 39-year-old man was arrested Thursday night after Virgin Islands Police Department officers responded to a report of a disturbance on St. Thomas, the department announced.
Police said the incident was reported around 8:21 p.m. by a concerned citizen who told officers they heard a woman screaming for her life. Officers traced the noise to a couple who initially told police they had been arguing verbally, but the dispute escalated into violence.
After interviewing both individuals, officers arrested Rodney Charlien, who was accused of squeezing his girlfriend’s face and repeatedly punching her in the stomach and forearms. Charlien was charged with simple assault, domestic violence, and disturbance of the peace, domestic violence, police said.
The case remains under investigation. Police urged anyone with information to call 911, the Domestic Violence Unit at 340-715-5535, or the Office of the Police Chief.
