As Jam Band played on, the St. John Festival crowds were peaceful and happy Saturday night in Cruz Bay. But around midnight, two non-related incidents sent police scrambling.
According to Zone D Command police, a pair of armed and masked robbers pushed their way into the Pusser's restaurant office at Wharfside Village and made off with about $4,370.
"Katie Burkholder reported she was counting money and she heard a knock on the door and she thought it was a friend of hers," police Lt. Joseph Gumbs said. When Burkholder opened the door, according to Gumbs, two masked men entered and one reportedly grabbed her by the chain around her neck and demanded money. One man had a handgun, she told police.
The two reportedly made off with $1,724 in the day's receipts, around $2,600 from the Pusser's safe and $50 from Burkholder's purse.
Gumbs said it appeared that the robbers took advantage of the concentration of police in the Festival Village to commit the crime the opposite direction from the ferry dock. He said extra patrols would be added to the Cruz Bay business district for the duration of the festival, which concludes Tuesday, the Fourth of July.
A few minutes after the Pusser's robbery call came in — around 12:10 a.m. Sunday — an off-duty policeman was saved from possible drowning in Cruz Bay Creek. Gumbs said Officer Dennis Vanterpool "slipped and fell while walking by the dock." Vanterpool "hit his head and he had to be rushed to the hospital," Gumbs added.
Vanterpool was transported to Roy L. Schneider Hospital. No information could be obtained from hospital personnel concerning his condition Sunday evening.