FRENCHTOWN BUSINESS OPERATOR CHARGED AFTER VIOLENT CLASH WITH LICENSING OFFICER

A Frenchtown business owner was arrested Tuesday after a licensing inspection at her establishment escalated into a violent confrontation with an enforcement officer.

Elizabeth Rose Service operates Caribbean Bush & Kush, LLC, which trades as Yes Chef To Go. She faces charges of aggravated assault and battery upon an officer, interfering with an officer discharging his duties, and operating without proper business licensing. She appeared before Magistrate Judge Simone M. VanHolten-Turnbull on Wednesday for an Advice of Rights hearing, with bail set at $1,500.

Officer Chris René arrived at the Frenchtown location at 24A Estate Honduras around 2:05 p.m. on October 27 for a routine compliance check. Inside, he found two women at the bar counter: one with a Heineken beer, the other with a soft drink. The business held only a catering license, which does not permit tavern or restaurant operations under Virgin Islands law. Staff member Coder Burley provided two separate dining menus when asked about the license.

As Officer René drafted a citation, Service emerged from the kitchen, threw papers toward him, and demanded his departure. She told him: "You were advised not to come in here. I want you to leave!" When the officer photographed the interior and bar setup, Service blocked his path to retrieve his citation book. When asked to move, she stated: "This is my business, and you have no right in here." After being warned that obstructing an officer was arrestable, she allegedly pushed him with her hands raised toward his face.

During the arrest, Service struck, kicked, and scraped Officer René as he attempted to handcuff her, court records show. Four people inside the establishment intervened: bartender Mohamad Ahmad, business manager Elisha C.D. Burley, and the two female patrons. They pulled the officer away and helped Service escape through the kitchen. Officer René called for emergency backup. Service also placed a 911 call from the premises.

Multiple officers responded, including Jerome Liddy, Kvana Browne, Agent Ashlyn Xavier, and Director Vernon Carr. Service complained of a headache and was transported to Schneider Regional Medical Center, where Dr. Kyle A. Ohman and Practitioner Elizabeth Nicholls examined and cleared her before she was transported to the Richard N. Callwood Command for booking.