Ferry Dock Takedown Leads to Bureau of Corrections Remand After Suspect Pushes, Strikes VIPD Officer on St. John
By JOHN McCARTHY / St. Croix Sun News Reporter
CRUZ BAY — A St. John ferry vessel was forced to turn back mid-transit after an aggressively noncompliant, allegedly intoxicated passenger triggered a violent confrontation on the Cruz Bay dock, culminating in the suspect striking and pushing a VIPD officer before being physically brought to the ground.
According to the official Probable Cause Fact Sheet filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands on June 25, 2026, under Case No. ST-2026-CR-00158, the defendant, Kesny Jean, has been hit with multiple criminal charges following the Tuesday night waterfront melee.
The Waterfront Disturbance
The incident began on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at approximately 7:14 PM. VIPD Officer Clint Ettinoffe was conducting foot patrol in uniform near the ferry dock in downtown Cruz Bay. While standing in front of Ocean Safari, Officer Ettinoffe heard a ferry dock cashier call out, "Police, come. They need you," as a Varlack Ventures ferry vessel that had departed minutes earlier was seen turning around and returning to the dock.
Upon the vessel's emergency return, the ship's captain, Keshawn Serrano, informed the officer that Jean was standing outside the cabin at the rear of the vessel, refusing repeated commands to take a seat inside, using profanity, and ignoring mandatory maritime safety rules. Captain Serrano formally requested that Jean be removed from the vessel.
Assaulting an Officer on the Dock
Officer Ettinoffe made contact with Jean on the vessel's ramp, explicitly notifying him that the interaction was being audio and video recorded via body camera. The officer, noting a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Jean, escorted him off the vessel and onto the dock.
When calmly informed that the ferry captain would not permit him to travel on that ship and that he would have to wait for the 8:00 PM ferry to St. Thomas, Jean reportedly became visibly enraged. Jean suddenly swung his right hand, striking the left side of Officer Ettinoffe’s mouth with his fingers.
When issued a lawful order to leave the area, Jean threw his ferry tickets directly into the officer's face. Jean then aggressively approached the officer with his hands raised near his chest and forcefully pushed him with both hands.
The Takedown and Resisting Arrest
The violent escalation prompted an immediate physical response from law enforcement. Officer Ettinoffe seized control of Jean's left wrist, used an open palm to secure the right side of Jean’s head, pushed him against a metal light pole, and brought him to the ground, advising him he was under arrest for assaulting a police officer.
While holding Jean down and calling for emergency backup on his handheld radio, Officer Ettinoffe placed his right knee on Jean's left shoulder blade to retrieve his handcuffs. VIPD Sergeant T. Alexander arrived swiftly on the scene, helping to gain control of Jean’s right arm and complete the arrest process.
Hostility at the Clinic and Forensics
The hostility did not stop at the waterfront. Jean was transported to the Myrah Keating Smith Clinic for medical evaluation, where he remained verbally abusive and aggressively hostile toward the medical staff, repeatedly using profanity as Dr. D. James attempted to provide treatment. Even the presence of Deputy Chief Clayton Brown, who attempted to calm the suspect, failed to quell Jean's hostile behavior.
After being medically cleared and transported to the Richard Callwood Police Station on St. Thomas, Jean's noncompliance continued to hinder the legal processing chain. Forensic Detective P. Telemaque and Forensic Technician K. Boland were entirely unable to complete standard processing and booking due to Jean’s disruptive behavior and relentless use of profane language.
Jean was subsequently remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections. He is officially charged with:
Aggravated Assault & Battery Upon a Police Officer (Title 14, VIC § 298 (1))
Disturbance of the Peace (Title 14, VIC § 622 (1))
Interfering with an Officer / Disobeying a Lawful Order (Title 14, VIC § 1508(a))
Court records from the C-Track Public Portal show that following an initial Pretrial Release Order on June 25, an Arraignment hearing has been officially scheduled for July 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the St. Thomas/St. John Division
