Capt. Al M. Donastorg has recommended that a letter of "strong reprimand" be issued to police officer Loryiel Charleswell in connection with an altercation March 28 between Charleswell and a St. Thomas resident over traffic violations.
Donastorg made the recommendation in a memo to Territorial Police Chief Jose A. Garcia.
Published reports at the time of the incident said Charleswell physically attacked David Summers, a St. Thomas businessman, and verbally abused Summers and his financé in front of witnesses.
However, Donastorg's investigation did not turn up any witnesses to Charleswell striking Summers.
"There is no corroboration that Officer Charleswell struck Mr. Summers," Donastorg's memo said.
His investigation revealed Summers and Charleswell both used the "F word back and forth."
Reports at the time as well as Summers' statement said Charleswell called Summers "whitey" and screamed at him to "shut up," adding, "You haven't seen the last of me. You'll be taking it up the ass."
According to Donastorg's report, Summers admitted he replied, "You are very familiar with getting it up your ass, faggot."
According to Donastorg, Summers attributed his refusal to give another officer his physical address to not feeling comfortable after Charleswell's remarks.
Donastorg said, "There is no substantiation that Mr. Summers had reason to be fearful in cooperating with the police. His conduct speaks that he (Summers) was willing to fight," adding that Summers had to be restrained to prevent him from "going after the officer."
Donastorg's findings concluded that Summers was issued and paid fines for four traffic violations and that there was no evidence that either party has "any repugnance for either races" or that "recrimination is planned for Mr. David Summers or anyone else connected with this matter."
He added there was no evidence that either Summers or Charleswell struck each other. Donastorg said, however, there was substantial evidence that Summers was a "tireless aggressor."
Donastorg said Charleswell did not follow police rules of conduct, which call for courtesy and good community relations.
Donastorg took exception to being assigned the investigation of the complaint against Charleswell, saying "most civilian complaints against police officers should not be investigated by the Patrol Division. Rather, an independent unit such as an Internal Affairs Unit" should handle those probes.
Police Commissioner Franz Christian has ordered an Internal Affairs investigation in addition to the zone commander's report.
Christian could not be reached for comment on the status of the Internal Affairs investigation.
