V.I. Police Officer Eugene Somersall Arrested After Domestic Dispute

St. John police officer Eugene Somersall, a 16-year V.I. Police Department veteran, was subdued by two fellow officers and arrested Wednesday morning, June 14, after a public argument with his wife.

A call was received by the VIPD at 8:04 a.m. on Wednesday to report a disturbance with a male in Estate Adrian, according to the record at the Leander Jurgen Command in Cruz Bay.

The blotter indicated Somersall arrived at VIPD St. John command under arrest at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, more than six hours after the first report of the incident.

Somersall was charged with aggravated assault and battery and disobeying a lawful order for his confrontation with fellow officers. He was charged with destruction of property and disturbance of the peace in the domestic incident.

Judge Leon Kendall dismissed two of the charges but found probable cause for charges of destruction of property and disturbing the peace against Somersall at a Thursday hearing, according to published reports.

Suspended Without Pay
Somersall, who earlier this year spoke at a Julius E. Sprauve School PTSA meeting on the importance of parents being involved in their children’s lives, has been suspended without pay, and internal affairs will conduct an investigation into the incident, VIPD Internal Affairs Director Ray Martinez said in a Virgin Islands Daily News report.

Police were called to the home of the VIPD officer, who lives next door to his estranged wife in Estate Adrian, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the testimony of Sgt. Sylvia Felix-Penn at Thursday’s probable cause hearing.

Felix-Penn, who responded with officers Elvis Sprauve and Derrick Callwood, was told by Somersall’s wife that Somersall refused to allow her to leave for work and threatened her with a rock, telling her, “nobody was leaving,” according to published reports.

Somersall then grabbed a pair of his wife’s earrings from her car and destroyed them, according to Felix-Penn’s testimony.

Felix-Penn said she found Somersall leaning against his wife’s car and told him to get off, which he refused to do, according to a published report.

As spectators gathered at the scene, Felix-Penn said she asked Somersall to accompany her to Leander Jurgen Command, which he also refused, according to published reports.

Felix-Penn testified that she was standing at the bottom of the stairs into Somersall’s home, and he shoved her as he attempted to enter his residence. “He pushed me,” said Felix-Penn, according to published reports. “I pushed him back.”

Sprauve then assisted Felix-Penn in bringing Somersall to the ground and arresting him.

Somersall initially was released from jail after posting $1,500 bail. Kendall ordered the bail returned and released the officer on his own recognizance.

The dispute between Somersall and his wife, who are divorcing, appears to be a continuing issue, Kendall said after reviewing records.