Jackson Arnold (Charleston County Sheriff’s Office).
A man from South Carolina considered it amusing to “prank” his ex-girlfriend by reportedly sneaking into her residence and hiding in her bathroom shower, waiting for her to return home. He allegedly had no pants or underwear, concealing his face with biker shorts, as he intended to surprise the woman and “ease the tension” following a text message argument, according to police reports.
Jackson Arnold, aged 25, was apprehended and detained on Sunday, facing charges of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, first-degree burglary, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, as per online court documents. He is alleged to have entered his ex-girlfriend’s house on Westway Drive in Charleston by way of a detached garage apartment while she was away, local NBC affiliate WCBD reports.
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Arnold is accused of hiding in the victim’s shower, his face obscured by the biker shorts, until she returned, as stated in the arrest report obtained by WCBD. He supposedly had a knife in his possession, though the type of weapon remains unspecified.
Police say Arnold exited the shower after his ex-girlfriend arrived back home and allegedly set upon her, using the knife to imitate stabbing and slicing moves on her throat, per WCBD.
He allegedly held the knife up toward the side of his head at one point, causing the victim to push Arnold away, cops say. The knife did not make contact with her skin during the alleged incident.
Police say that after the encounter, Arnold tossed the knife on the floor and started choking his ex with his left hand, causing her to stop breathing. “The victim was able to remove the shorts from the unknown male’s face,” the arrest report says, according to WCBD. “It was at that time she realized it was her ex-boyfriend,” cops add.
Arnold allegedly also told the woman that he was pranking her, and that he wanted to talk. She eventually ran in the main house and asked the family there to call 911, WCBD reported.
Arnold is being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center as he awaits his initial court appearance. The proceeding is scheduled for June 19.
