ST. CROIX — Bail has been set for a St. Croix man who was recently arrested on charges of simple assault and battery.

The arrest of Shaqon S. Ayala follows a report by his relatives, who stated that on September 5th their grandson came in early that morning and started arguing about someone taking his cellphone. According to the probable cause fact sheet, Ayala then began yelling, cursing and ransacking his grandmother’s room, threatening to hurt the two of them if they did not give him his cell phone. The grandfather then told Ayala that neither he nor his wife had the cellphone and did not know who did. The complainants then barricaded themselves in one of the bedrooms while Ayala started throwing random clothes and other household items about while in another bedroom.

The probable cause fact sheet further states that the grandfather then witnessed Ayala barge into the room and hit his grandmother across the face. Ayala then used his hand to hold down his grandmother’s head on the bed, applying pressure. The grandfather then yelled at Ayala, telling him to stop and then called 911.

The grandmother told police that every time her grandson goes out drinking he gets angry for no reason and picks a fight.

The Sept. 5th incident was not the first Ayala had with his grandparents. In June 2021, he allegedly assaulted his grandfather by striking the elderly man in the head after the alleged victim attempted to reason with Ayala about his continued disrespect to the victim’s wife — Ayala’s grandmother.

In court on Wednesday, a judge ruled that Ayala must pay the full bail amount of $1,000 in cash. He is to report to the Office of Probation every Tuesday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; must have no contact, directly or indirectly with the alleged victims; and is to stay at least 1,000 ft away from them at all times. Ayala is also not to consume any alcoholic beverages.

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