John McCarthy
By: Virgin Islands Free Press News Desk
FREDERIKSTED — A late-night domestic dispute over a disconnected Wi-Fi router in Lorraine Village escalated into a violent physical assault that left a four-month pregnant woman injured and her boyfriend behind bars without bail.
Azzioni Mack, 22, was arrested late Friday night and charged with second-degree assault under the territory’s domestic violence statutes following an emergency response to Apartment 18-1.
A Disconnected Router and Slap
According to a sworn probable cause fact sheet filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands by Police Officer Alexis Dujon, police officers and auxiliary units were dispatched by the 911 Emergency Call Center at approximately 11:33 p.m. on July 17.
Upon arrival, officers interviewed an adult female victim, identified in court documents as E.S., who reported that Mack arrived at the residence around 8:00 p.m. and began making unwanted sexual advances. When she told him to stop and warned that his actions constituted harassment, Mack stopped touching her but intentionally disconnected her mobile phone from the apartment’s Wi-Fi network.
When E.S. questioned his actions, a verbal argument ensued. According to her sworn statement, Mack suddenly slapped her on the left side of her face. E.S. warned him that striking her again would result in a call to 911.
Choked and Thrown to the Ground
The dispute turned severe when Mack allegedly became more aggressive, placing both hands around her neck while she lay on her bed and applying pressure to the point where she was unable to breathe. E.S. told police she kicked Mack repeatedly to free herself from the chokehold.
After breaking free, E.S. attempted to flee the residence. Mack grabbed her by the shirt and forcefully threw her to the floor. E.S., who informed responding officers and emergency personnel that she is four months pregnant, landed hard on her abdomen before escaping the apartment and running to her brother’s nearby unit to dial 911.
Responding police officers documented physical evidence supporting her account at the scene, including faint red markings around her neck, a small scrape on her right knee, and a broken bra strap. Emergency Medical Technicians evaluated E.S. at the scene, but she declined further hospital transport.
No Bail Under Domestic Violence Statute
Responding officers located Mack inside the residence. After being advised of his constitutional rights via a standard Miranda warning, Mack acknowledged understanding his rights but declined to provide a statement regarding the allegations.
Mack was taken into custody and transported to the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station in Mars Hill, where he was booked and processed without incident.
Under the Virgin Islands Domestic Violence Law, no bail was set prior to his initial court appearance. Mack was remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility at Golden Grove pending his Advice of Rights hearing before Magistrate Judge Christopher M. Timmons in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, Kingshill Division.
According to the official complaint, the Virgin Islands Department of Justice is seeking charges including:
- Assault in the Second Degree / Domestic Violence (14 V.I.C. § 296(3) & 16 V.I.C. § 91)
- Simple Assault and Battery / Domestic Violence (14 V.I.C. § 299 & 16 V.I.C. § 91)
- Disturbance of the Peace (14 V.I.C. § 622)
Court records indicate Mack has no prior criminal record on file.
