St. Croix Man Arrested After Kicking Down Grandmother's Door, Ramming Gate With Truck

A 135 Bellevue resident with no prior criminal history was taken into custody early Tuesday following a domestic incident at his grandmother's Estate Diamond Ruby property that included a break-in, vehicle damage, and an unauthorized vehicle operation, police records show.

Jonathan Burton's grandmother, Dorlis Marshall, told investigators that the trouble started late Monday evening. Around 8:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Burton scaled her security fence, walked through the garden, and knocked loudly on her front door. Marshall instructed him to leave, and the knocking stopped. Hours later, between 5:30 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, Marshall was jolted awake by violent kicking at the entrance. Burton kicked repeatedly until the door frame, locking mechanism, and doorknob gave way, enabling him to enter the house.

Inside, Burton moved four to five feet into the residence, grabbed vehicle keys from Marshall's center table, and rushed outside. He got into Marshall's gray 2018 Chevrolet Colorado pickup and drove toward a locked secondary gate. He struck the gate multiple times with the truck's front end until the locking latch broke. Officer Kevin Augustin documented significant damage to the vehicle, including deep bumper scuffs and structural dents.

Burton then backed the damaged truck down a slope, exited to move the gate aside, and used a second set of keys to drive away in a red 2020 Ford EcoSport. The EcoSport was co-owned by Marshall and Jayda Patrick, Burton's sister. Neither woman had permitted him to use either vehicle, police confirmed.

The situation escalated when Burton drove the red EcoSport back past his grandmother's residence while Officer Augustin was interviewing Marshall on scene. The vehicle pulled up next to the marked police cruiser, and someone inside shouted through an open window. Marshall pointed to the driver and identified him as her grandson.

When confronted, Burton expressed shock that his grandmother had contacted police. He told officers she was trying to "ruin his perfect record," said he had never been incarcerated, and stated he needed employment. He acknowledged the sequence of events on police bodycam but disputed some minor points, according to Augustin's report.

Burton was transported to the Wilmer H. Francis Command in Frederiksted for processing and held at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility at Golden Grove. He faced Magistrate Judge Yolan C. Brow Ross at Kingshill Superior Court on Wednesday morning for an initial Advice of Rights hearing.

Police charged Burton with burglary in the second degree, forcible and unlawful entry, unauthorized use of a vehicle, damaging or tampering with a vehicle, and destruction of property with a domestic violence enhancement. The Office of the Territorial Public Defender was assigned to represent him. By Wednesday morning, defense filings included a financial status affidavit and a bond undertaking.