J’Ouvert Outing Ends in Arrest After Woman Reports Assault and Vehicle Theft

ST. CROIX — Domestic violence charges have been filed against a St. Croix man after his girlfriend told police he assaulted her during an early-morning confrontation and then drove away in her vehicle, leaving her injured and without her belongings.

According to court documents, police were called to the Juan F. Luis Hospital on the morning of December 26 to investigate a reported assault. There, officers met the woman, who recounted a series of events that began earlier that morning while she and her boyfriend, Glen Edwards, attended J’Ouvert festivities in Mon Bijou.

According to the woman, tensions arose during the outing after Edwards became upset over what he perceived as her lack of enthusiasm. She told officers he became verbally abusive, prompting concern due to what she described as his history of violence. Around 6:00 a.m., the couple left J’Ouvert with one of Edwards’s friends and traveled into Christiansted. The woman said she felt somewhat reassured by the friend’s presence.

Later, she dropped Edwards off in Christiansted, returned the friend to Mon Bijou, and then went to her home in Peter’s Rest. Upon arriving, she told police she found Edwards at her front door, attempting to force it open with a large knife. When he noticed her vehicle, she said, he approached and opened the driver’s side door.

The woman reported that Edwards then began assaulting her, striking her in the head, face, and upper body while threatening to kill her. She told police she tried to alert him that people nearby could see what was happening. When Edwards turned to look, she said she seized the moment to remove her seatbelt and flee the vehicle, screaming for help as she ran.

Edwards reportedly chased her briefly but stopped after noticing other people in the area. The woman said she hid behind a parked car and used the phone of someone inside the vehicle to call 911. From her hiding place, she told officers, she saw Edwards drive away in her car, which contained her phone, keys, and items related to her business, according to court documents.

During the investigation, the woman disclosed that previous misdemeanor charges for assault against Edwards had been dismissed at her request after he promised the violence would not recur. She also informed police that Edwards was on probation stemming from a 1998 murder conviction.

Officers documented the woman’s injuries, which included a cut to her lip, swelling to her cheek, bruising beneath her right eye, and a noticeable lump on her head.

Police located the woman’s vehicle later that afternoon parked within a public housing community where Edwards’ mother resides. On December 27, Edwards appeared at the Juan F. Luis Hospital emergency room, where officers took him into custody. He declined to provide a statement to police.

Edwards was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, grand larceny, simple assault and battery as a crime of domestic violence, and disturbance of the peace by threatening and fighting.

He appeared before Magistrate Yolan Brow-Ross on Monday, who found probable cause to uphold all charges. Bail was set at $25,000, with the court allowing Edwards to post 10 percent in cash and secure the remainder through an unsecured bond.

If released, Edwards will be placed on 24-hour house arrest and monitored electronically. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 14, 2026.