AHOSKIE – The mother of a local man arrested last week for running nude down Main Street here said her son is a highly decorated military veteran in need of help.

Jason Nash, age 29, was arrested by the Ahoskie Police on Feb. 26 and charged with breaking-and-entering, felony indecent exposure, stalking, and resist/delay/obstruct (a law enforcement officer). Nash was jailed under a $5,000 bond.

Lynda Nash said her son has been showing signs of abnormal behavior, to include what she said was a mental breakdown on Feb. 26.

“As a family we believe Jason has PTSD,” said Mrs. Nash, referencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. “Maybe it’s the reason for his actions and also maybe from his [military] deployment not too long ago.”

Mrs. Nash said her son was in the United States Army as a SPC in the 11B Infantry. He finished boot camp at Fort Benning, GA in December 2012. Jason Nash then served over five years and did a tour overseas where he led his platoon into combat, according to his mother.

“He has won eight awards in the Army and has many high honors on acts of achievements. His character of service was an Honorable Discharge,” she said.

“We as a family don’t know what he saw or had to do,” Mrs. Nash continued. “Jason was that young man on the outside but not the young man on the inside. But what we do know he did do is put his life on the line for his country.”

Mrs. Nash continued by saying, “As his mother and with his siblings and all the support from his family, friends, and the military, especially the veterans, Jason Nash will have a big support system behind him. He will get the help he desperately needs.

“Hopefully, people will learn from this instead of laughing, hurting and videoing people with mental illness for a cheap thrill at their expense. We should start helping people with mental illness of all kinds. Take a moment to think, it could be someone in your family, a loved one,” she concluded.