Defendant in two assault cases found not competent to stand trial

Attorneys for the prosecution and defense agreed Thursday that Francisco Cruz-Santiago is not competent to stand trial for attempted murder, and a judge ordered him to be committed to a psychiatric facility for treatment.

V.I. Police arrested Cruz-Santiago on May 24 after he assaulted another man at the Level Up Service Station in Frederiksted, according to V.I. Superior Court records. When officers arrived at the scene, Cruz-Santiago was holding a metal baseball bat, and he surrendered to police and agreed to make a statement.

Cruz-Santiago explained that he was sitting outside the gas station rolling a joint when the victim tapped his leg and tried to push him out of the chair, according to the probable cause fact sheet filed by police.