Mugshot of Tia Marie Gomez. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — On St. Thomas, a woman assaulted her neighbor with a piece of a metal bed frame claiming that she thought her neighbor was an intruder. The neighbor was perplexed as to why she was assaulted and reported that the assault was part of an ongoing situation.
Tia Marie Gomez, 37, appeared before the Judge Carolyn Hermon-Percell via teleconference from the Bureau of Corrections on Monday for her advisement hearing.
Gomez was charged with third-degree assault (use of a deadly weapon) and using a dangerous weapon during a crime of violence.
According to the fact sheet, on Friday, August 20 at about 5:30, Officer Jernings Abraham was dispatched to a fight in progress. At about 5:12 pm, the victim was in a rush to retrieve something from her apartment. When she walked out of her apartment, Gomez was standing outside near the victim’s doorway cursing and threatening that she had something for the victim. Gomez then went toward her apartment, armed herself with a piece of a metal bed frame and attacked the victim for no apparent reason. Gomez struck the victim on her head, face, body, and right arm with the metal frame. A struggle ensued. Eventually, the victim got possession of the metal object from Gomez and retreated to her apartment, the fact sheet said.
As a result of Gomez’s threat, the victim recorded Gomez, the fact sheet said. However, the video was not viewed by Judge Hermon-Percell. “I received the video. I chose not to review it. I go on the probable cause. I think the probable cause fact sheet was enough,” the judge said. The judge later mentioned that she saw the injuries in photographs.
According to the victim’s statement in the fact sheet, this assault was part an ongoing situation. “[The victim] indicated to me that she made two police reports back in May and she’s made several complaints to the landlord where Ms. Gomez disturbs her peace, bangs on her windows, threatens her, curses her out for no reason,” Officer Jernings Abraham explained to the court.
Attorney John Barraco said that the victim is terrified to go home and is concerned about protecting her life and that of her family. He requested that bail remain at $25,000, arguing that Gomez is a danger to the victim.
“Ms. Gomez, as the probable cause fact sheet shows, is going to be asserting self-defense,” Attorney Paula Norkaitis argued in support of Gomez. Therefore, she requested a $10,000 with a 10 percent provision.
Judge Hermon-Percell ruled on the following release conditions:
- Bail maintained at $25,000 (post 10 percent or $2,500)
- Third-party custodian
- Prohibited from leaving the STT-STJ jurisdiction without prior permission of the court
- No possession of a firearm, ammunition, or dangerous weapons
- No contact with victim or victim’s family
- Maintain minimum distance of 25 feet of victim
