Mugshot of Patricio Donastorg Buncome. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. THOMAS — Patricio Donastorg Buncome appeared before a judge of the VI Superior Court on Monday facing gun and ammunition charges following his arrest on January 14.
The court heard that officers from the Newton Command were conducting traffic enforcement initiatives on that day, on the Weymouth Rhymer Highway. Police observed a silver Chevrolet Tracker traveling west, with no front license plate and no registration sticker on the windshield.
Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but when an officer exited the police vehicle in an attempt to approach, the Tracker accelerated away, turning left onto the Turpentine roadway. The officer followed and spotted the SUV near Brookman Market. The silver Chevrolet was off the main roadway and had sustained heavy damage.
The officer approached, service weapon drawn, and ordered the driver, later identified as Buncome, to stop the vehicle. Again, Buncome did not comply, driving towards another officer, who leapt out of the way. Continuing to ignore instructions to stop the vehicle, Buncome continued to operate the silver Tracker until he eventually lost control and collided with a boulder near the ghut. After the collision, Buncombe exited the vehicle. He jumped into the ghut and an officer reportedly saw a black handgun and a magazine fall from Buncone onto the ground. The man picked up the weapon and continued running West, However he was soon apprehended by other officers and placed under arrest.
A search of the vehicle yielded a black holster and a fanny pack containing a full Glock .40 caliber extended magazine. Another magazine, this one holding 15 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, was recovered from the ground where Buncome had dropped the weapon earlier. He was charged with possession of ammunition, interfering with an officer, third-degree assault with a deadly weapon and using a dangerous weapon in a crime of violence.
Burncome was then transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center for medical treatment, after suffering a small laceration to his right eyebrow area which he sustained during the auto collision.
In court on Monday, a judge ruled that Donastorg needed to fully secure his $50,000 bail with cash or property before he could be released to a third-party custodian. If he can do so, he will be barred from leaving the St. Thomas-St. John District without the court’s written permission and must report to the Office of Probation once a week. He must also abide by a daily curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. He is prohibited from possessing a firearm, ammunition or dangerous weapon and must have no contact, directly or indirectly with the officers involved. He also cannot obtain a passport while on release.
