Boat stolen, but victim withdraws theft charges

A man who told police six men tried to steal his boat and threatened to shoot him, has dropped all the charges, except against one man. Dwayne Tillett reported that around ten-thirty on Wednesday morning a group of men tried to tow away his skiff with their boat. He yelled at them, but one of the men then pointed a gun at him and he withdrew and went to find the police. His boat was located a short while later in the river near Oleander Street. An officer at the scene saw one of the men standing nearby throw a gun in the water. It was retrieved and three men were arrested. Hopeton Westby, Brian Claire and Denton Bernard appeared yesterday before Magistrate Sharon Frazer and were all charged with aggravated assault, theft, and keeping an unlicensed firearm. However, Tillett asked the Magistrate to drop the theft and assault charges. The judge allowed this, but the charges of aggravated assault against Denton Bernard for pointing the gun. The unlicensed firearm charge also stood against the three, since that was brought by the police. The men were each granted bail of five thousand dollars and the case adjourned until April eleventh.