Mugshot of Amari Warner. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. THOMAS — A man who is accused of assaulting his son’s mother in front of the child now faces felony domestic violence charges.
According to court documents, police were dispatched to a location in Thomasville on September 3 to investigate a disturbance. Responding officers made contact with a woman who told them that Amari Warner had been hitting her granddaughter, the mother of his child. The woman told officers that she was at home on the phone with one of the workers in the community apartment complex’s main office when she heard screaming in the background.
The woman said that she ran to the main office and saw Amari Warner hitting her granddaughter. Police spoke to Warner, who said that he had come to the office with his son so that the boy could see his mother. Once there, the two adults got into a “petty argument,” according to Warner, because his child’s mother had reportedly said “something dumb.” The argument became physical, with Warner admitted to pushing the mother of his child. He told police that he is frustrated because the woman is not taking care of the child, and that he is doing everything.
For her part, the boy’s mother said that Warner brought the child to the office, decided that he was not going to drop the boy to school, left the child and his bag on her chair and walked outside. She told officers that she picked up the boy and the bag and followed her partner of four years, asking him if he was stupid. That’s when he pushed her, she said.
Upon reviewing surveillance video footage of the incident, police discovered that Warner pushed the woman several times before throwing the lunch bag at her and pushing her to the ground, while several people tried to break up the physical altercation. The woman did not receive any injuries from the incident, police say.
Ultimately, police arrested Warner and he remained in custody until his advice of rights hearing on October 3.
In court on Wednesday, Magistrate Simone VanHolten-Turnbull found probably cause to support charges of aggravated assault as a crime of domestic violence, and disturbance of the peace by threats. Bail was set at $1,000, of which Warner was required to pay 12% in cash. Having done so, he must now report to the probation office twice a week by telephone, and maintain a minimum distance of 25 feet from the mother of his child.
The next court appearance for Amari Warner is scheduled for October 20.
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