Mugshot of Dionisio Blyden. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — One man is before the courts after reportedly assaulting another with a glass bottle.
A police officer arrived at Roosevelt Park on Saturday afternoon to find the aftermath of a physical altercation — one man already on the ground in handcuffs thanks to an officer who had arrived on scene earlier — and an injured man being evaluated by EMT personnel.
Speaking to the injured party, police heard that the man was in the park monitoring his toddler who was playing nearby. He heard a loud noise and looked up to see that there had been a collision on Norre Gade, in front of the Federal Credit Union.
The man told police that he commented out loud on the accident, and was overheard by Dionisio Blyden, one of the drivers involved in the collision. Blyden reportedly got upset at the man’s comment about who was in the wrong and told the onlooker to mind his business. The exchange did not stop there, as Blyden reportedly grabbed a glass bottle from his vehicle, approached the other man, and began hitting him over the head with the bottle, according to court documents.
At one point the bottle fell to the ground and Blyden picked it back up and continued his assault, the man told police. He recounted how he was eventually able to stop the attack by holding Blyden’s hair and using leverage to pull him down to the floor, before other bystanders came over to separate the pair.
As the two men were being pulled away from each other, Blyden reportedly vowed that he would find his adversary.
Blyden told police a markedly different tale, however. He said he was in a line of vehicles waiting at the stoplight when he was hit from behind by another vehicle. The impact sent his car forward and he hit the vehicle in front of him. Luckily, after he got out to check for damage, he realized that both his vehicle and the one he had collided with were both unscathed. While the driver of the vehicle in front left the area, Blyden said he went to check on his wife, who he said had a preexisting medical condition which made her vulnerable to impacts such as these.
While he was ensuring his wife was alright, Blyden said he heard the onlooker shout a suggestion that he “take off” because nothing was wrong with the car. He admitted to getting angry and approaching the man, telling police that he informed the bystander of his wife’s medical issue. Blyden claims that in response, the man put his hands in his face and suggested that people like Blyden should be shot.
In the altercation that ensued, Blyden admitted to hitting the other man once on the head with a glass bottle.
After considering the evidence before them, which included witness testimonies, police decided to arrest Blyden. He was charged with third-degree assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and disturbance of the peace. He was then remanded into custody to await his advice of rights hearing.
In court on Monday, Magistrate Paula Norkaitis set bail at $25,000, with 10% payable in cash to secure Blyden’s release ahead of trial. That sum was paid, and Blyden must now contact the probation office every week by telephone. He is also prohibited from using alcohol or any controlled substance while the matter is pending, and must stay at least 100 feet away from the alleged victim at all times.
His next court appearance has not been listed on the court’s public docket as of press time.
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