Former Commissioner Jones returned to jail on battery charge

At about 8:00 p.m. last night, Historic City News was informed that St Augustine Police had been dispatched to 60 Julia Street to quiet a disturbance.  The victim, a female resident of the home claimed that she was “pushed down by Errol Jones and was trapped in her room”.

Officer Spencer Ayers arrived to find lights on at the residence and 76-year-old former City Commissioner, Errol Donlevy Jones, at the front door.  Jones consented to Ayers entry into the house.  Jones (age 76, height 5’7″, 140 lbs.) and his brother Raghib Hasan-Jones (age 79, height 6’1″, 202 lbs.) met Ayers in the living room, where the victim reported the two brothers had been fist fighting.

Upon checking Jones’ criminal history, Ayers verified that Jones had a previous conviction for battery on February 13, 2017.

Since the victim reported that “she was bleeding” and needed medical assistance, police asked where the female victim was located.  Hasan-Jones pointed to the back bedroom at which time Jones attempted to go around him and reach the victim inside the room. Officer Ayers grabbed Jones, meeting resistance when Jones pulled his hands away to avoid being handcuffed.

“I ordered Errol Jones to place his hands behind his back, at which time he continued to resist by trying to place his hands in front of his body,” Officer Ayers stated in his report.  “Errol Jones was subsequently handcuffed and placed into my patrol vehicle.”

Officer Ayers

According to the incident report, upon contacting the victim, she appeared frightened and was curled up in the corner of the room crying.  She had two small cuts on her right arm.  She stated that she heard her boyfriend, Hasan-Jones and Jones arguing in the living room.  She also stated that she walked into the living room to find out why they were fighting, at which time Jones chased her towards her bedroom. She stated that as she entered the bedroom Jones pushed her down and into a space heater that was in the middle of the room.

The victim’s statement was that, as she fell, she landed on her right hip and right elbow.  She stated that Hasan-Jones came in and told Jones to get away from her. She explained that Jones left the room but that the brothers began to fight in the living room.

Police also took an affidavit from Jones’ brother, who told them that the two were arguing in the living room and had been fighting over the thermostat setting.  Raghib Hasan-Jones said that the 55-year-old female victim heard them and came out of her bedroom to ask what the men were fighting about. According to Hasan-Jones’ affidavit, Jones began verbally abusing the victim then chased her into her bedroom.

Hasan-Jones stated that he followed his brother and the victim into the bedroom and observed Jones push the victim down onto the wooden floor.  He ordered Jones to leave her alone at which time Jones exited the room.

• In a sworn written statement of the incident, Hasan-Jones denied any physical altercation between him and Errol D Jones.  Jones was transported to the St. Johns County jail without further incident and has been charged with one-count under §784.03.2 f.s., third-degree felony battery; and one-count §843.02 f.s., first-degree-misdemeanor resisting an officer.

• The 55-year-old female victim was checked out by emergency medical personnel and released after she refused any further medical treatment.

Since leaving office in 2012, Jones’ has had his fair share of controversies — and arrests.  He won re-election to his last four-year term in 2008, against Judith Seraphin from Lincolnville; but, in 2012, Jones faced opposition from former county commissioner Bruce Maguire, who lost, and local architect Roxanne Horvath, who won.  He has never returned to public office.