CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man faces domestic violence charges for allegedly threatening to kill an “acquaintace” by strangling her while he was inebriated, authorities said.
Matthew Gumbs, 27, was arrested and charged with second-degree assault-domestic violence, simple assault-domestic violence, grand larceny, and disturbance of the peace-domestic violence, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began at 4:00 p.m. on September 5, 2024, when the Domestic Violence Unit was alerted that an adult female victim was present at Richard Callwood Command alleging multiple disturbances by a former acquaintance named Matthew Gumbs, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Matthew Gumbs, 27, of St. Thomas.
“The victim stated Gumbs came to her residence on September 1, 2024, and appeared to be
intoxicated,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said. “He strangled her and threatened to kill her. She added that Gumbs also pushed her against a wall and pulled her by the hair.”
The victim also mentioned that on September 5, 2024, Gumbs came to her place of employment, took her cell phones and her purse without her permission, according to Chichester.
The unnamed victim said as she was leaving her neighborhood to travel to the police station, she spotted Gumbs following behind her in his vehicle, the VIPD spokeswoman said.
“He cut her off in traffic, leaving her no choice but to flee to a nearby store (for safety),” she said.
Gumbs surrendered to DVU officers at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. He was advised of his Miranda Rights and declined to give a statement. He was booked, processed.
No bail was offered to Gumbs in accordance with the territory’s domestic violence laws. He was transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the St. Thomas jail.
Gumbs is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court.
This case is currently under active investigation by the Domestic Violence Unit. Anyone having
information about this crime can notify 911, the Domestic Violence Unit at 340-715-5535,
or the Office of the Police Chief.
VIPD mug shot of Matthew Gumbs from 2021.
Gumbs’ previous arrest in 2021
On August 5, 2021, Gumbs was arrested for assault for allegedly hitting a motorist with a rock, because she complained to him that the dump truck he was driving was blocking traffic in Estate Tutu, court records show.
At that time, Gumbs was charged with third-degree assault, simple assault, failure to produce registration, and failure to keep current insurance, according to Superior Court documents.
Gumbs said he parked the dump truck in the roadway because it was being filled with dirt from a property just above the roadway, the probable cause fact sheet indicates. When the victim drove up the roadway, according to her statement to police, she observed a dump truck that did not allow for her vehicle to get around it. When she asked Gumbs to move the truck, he replied, “I am not moving no [expletive] truck. I am not moving no truck you [expletive]. I am not moving no truck.”
The victim then proceeded to call 911 and informed Gumbs that if he didn’t move the truck, he could wait until police arrive. He then told her, “You need to move your car,” and he got in his truck, accelerated his engine, and drove in front of her vehicle, the fact sheet said. At that point, the victim began recording the incident on her cellphone, which heightened Gumbs’ anger.
He then got out of his truck, picked up a rock, approached the victim’s vehicle, opened the driver’s door and struck her on the right wrist and forearm with the rock. He also swung at her from the passenger’s side but did not hit her. Several bystanders came to her rescue and escorted Gumbs away from her vehicle. Gumbs admitted to picking up a rock but denied any physical altercation with the alleged victim, according to the fact sheet.
Other drivers in the vicinity reported having to wait in their vehicles for up to an hour for Gumbs to move the truck so they could return home, the fact sheet stated.
Based on the facts of the case, the prosecuting attorney John Barraco said, “I believe the defendant is a danger to the community.” Barraco continued, “It’s really unclear what would really prompt this type of assaultive behavior especially during the course of his employment which he is likely to go back to. I think the community at large is at risk.”
In addition to the assault upon the female driver that resulted in an abrasion on the outer right hand, Gumbs was driving a dump truck with expired insurance and registration documents that was registered in someone else’s name.
Magistrate Judge Henry Carr III ordered the following release conditions for Gumbs:
- Bail was reduced from $25,000 to $2,500 (with the provision to post 10 percent or $250)
- No contact with the alleged victim
- Travel restriction requiring prior permission from the court and signing of a waiver of extradition
- Surrender passport and Virgin Islands driver’s license (not suspending driving privileges)
- Do not do anything that would impede the free flow of traffic by pedestrians or drivers while driving a dump truck