The Coki Point coconut seller who allegedly lost his cool, shouting down a police officer before spraying the officer with fresh coconut water, was released on $50 bail Monday, according to court records.
Virgin Islands Police Department Officer Chris M. René said he was following up on reports of unlicensed roadside businesses Wednesday near the popular St. Thomas beach, Coki Point.
René questioned the bartender at what appeared to be a makeshift deli in a sandy spot near the cemetery that had no business license posted. The bartender claimed she was not the owner and refused to give the owner’s name. While René negotiated for the bartender to call the deli’s owner, he witnessed a man selling coconuts from a wheelbarrow, according to court records.
René, who was wearing police regalia including a bulletproof vest, asked the alleged coconut seller, Keve Ferrarie, if he had a business license. Ferrarie did not answer. When René asked for his name and identification, Ferrarie said he was “not giving no punk my name,” according to court records.
The situation escalated with Ferrarie allegedly saying: “This is my beach, and nobody is going to run me or tell me what to do!” Ferrarie then allegedly warned the police officer to back away because he was continuing his work.
René told the Virgin Islands Superior Court: “He then picked up a shiny cutlass and a coconut, positioned the coconut toward me, and cut a portion of it. He then used a dagger to punch a hole in the nut while aiming it at me. When the coconut burst, it sprayed me. At that time, I advised Ferrarie that he had just assaulted an officer. Ferrarie continued making disparaging remarks.”
Video that appeared to show the arrest quickly surfaced on social media sites.
Ferrarie was charged with obstructing or delaying a peace officer in his official capacity from performing his lawful duties, operating without a valid business license, and simple assault on an officer. René said Ferrarie had been warned to obtain a proper business license a week early, on June 11.
The VI Code defines assault in several ways, including making a threatening gesture showing immediate intention coupled with an ability to commit a battery. The code also says: Whoever uses any unlawful violence upon the person of another with intent to injure him, whatever be the means or the degree of violence used, commits an assault and battery.
Another definition of assault includes liquids placed or thrown on someone. This includes corrosive acid, pepper, hot water, or “chemical of any nature with intent to injure the flesh or disfigure the body or clothes of such person …” No mention of coconut water.
Ferrarie was initially asked to post $500 bail but Magistrate Judge Paula Norkaitis allowed the coconut man to put up just 10% of that. $50.
