By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
FREDERIKSTED — A family dispute at an Estate Whim residence resulted in the arrest of Donna Berrios on domestic violence charges after police were called to investigate damaged household property on Monday morning.
According to a sworn Probable Cause Fact Sheet filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, VIPD officers were dispatched to 44N Estate Whim at approximately 8:20 a.m. following a 911 call from the defendant’s brother, Jose R. Berrios Jr..
Hospitalized Father Speaks From Speakerphone
Upon arriving at the scene, responding officers interviewed the brother, who reported that his sister had intentionally destroyed items inside the residence the previous evening. Each sibling resides in separate dwellings on their father’s property. The brother explained that he delayed calling police until the morning so as not to cause unnecessary stress to their father, Jose R. Berrios Sr., who is currently hospitalized in Puerto Rico due to illness.
While officers were on scene, the hospitalized father participated via speakerphone and granted permission for police to access the property. He informed officers that he wanted his daughter removed from the residence, stating she had destroyed property and noting a previous request for police assistance at the home under Case No. 26XP06963.
Shattered Stove and Damaged Television
Outside the residence, officers documented physical damage consistent with the complainant’s statements:
- A flat-screen Samsung television belonging to the father, estimated at $500 to $600 in value, was found outside with a cracked screen and split frame.
- A single-burner gas stove valued at $200 had its top portion broken in half on the ground.
- A metal bunk bed was also observed outside, though officers noted its disassembled condition made it difficult to determine when the damage occurred.
Arrest and Formal Charges
Officers located Berrios lying down in a western bedroom inside the main residence. She was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station at Mars Hill. After being advised of her Constitutional rights, Berrios declined to provide a statement and requested legal counsel.
Under Virgin Islands law governing domestic violence offenses, no pre-set bail was permitted. Berrios was booked and remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility in Golden Grove pending her Advice of Rights hearing on Tuesday morning.
Court records show she is formally charged with:
- Destruction of Property (Domestic Violence) in violation of 14 V.I.C. § 1266 and 16 V.I.C. § 91(b)(9).
