Bizarre stand-off ends peacefully

When police responded to a public disturbance report on Main Street and Russell Hill Road Tuesday morning and found a man on top of an electrical pole, swinging his machete and screaming obscenities, they didn't think it could get any worse.

Then he took off all his clothes. For another hour or so, officers tried to disarm the man, while at the same time preventing him from harming himself or bystanders. They were finally successful, forcing him to jump from a utility pole on to mats usually used by high jumpers from the BVI High School track team.

Police then took Jean "Coochie" Corum into custody. "I believe the officers handled the situation reasonably well," Police Chief Reynell Frazer said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Mr. Corum was taken to Peebles Hospital, but emerged from the episode relatively injury-free. He was taken to the Road Town Police Station while police and officials from the Mental Health Unit decide how best to handle his case.

"He won't be back on the streets anytime soon," Mr. Frazer said.

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