A Norwalk man accused of shooting a dog during a domestic dispute last week was arraigned on new charges Monday.
Jeffrey Vigil, 52, appeared in Stamford Superior Court following his second arrest in just days, once again for a domestic violence incident. But this time, it led to an hours-long standoff over the weekend.
Officers responded to Vigil’s home on Old Saugatuck Road around 3:30 p.m. Saturday after a woman called to report Vigil was violating an active criminal protective order issued just that week.
Police first arrested Vigil on Wednesday, Dec. 10, for a domestic incident where he allegedly shot the victim’s dog inside their home. He was arraigned the following day on charges of criminal possession of a firearm, criminal violation of a restraining order and disorderly conduct. Vigil posted a $150,000 bond which included a court-ordered condition that he stay away from the victim, the dog and the house.
But police said Vigil not only violated that order on Saturday, he also changed the home's locks and instructed the victim not to come back or contact police. There were also concerns officers were unable to account for Vigil’s firearms which he had been required to surrender under the protective order, according to police.
Due to the prior domestic incident and the belief that there may be guns in the home, police said they called in crisis negotiators and the Emergency Services Unit. Despite hours of negotiation efforts, Vigil repeatedly refused to surrender and yelled at officers, according to police. They said multiple tactics were used to get him to come out safely, but when those failed, members of the Emergency Services Unit entered the home and took Vigil into custody at 12:05 a.m. without further incident. A search of the home after turned up a large amount of ammunition, according to police.
Vigil went before Judge Colleen Zingaro and was arraigned on three counts of violation of a criminal protective order and one count each of criminal lockout, criminal violation of a restraining order and interfering with an officer.
“Any threat here is driven by alcohol,” said attorney Debra West, who represented Vigil for bond purposes. “He's agreed to any level of care regarding alcohol treatment, and he's going to get into treatment with our help.”
Zingaro set bond on the new charges at $850,000 which West said Vigil would be posting. The judge also issued another protective order regarding the victim and any animals she has.
“Understood, Your Honor,” Vigil replied when Zingaro went over the order’s parameters.
The judge also ordered GPS monitoring as a condition of release and set exclusionary zones. Vigil's attorney said he would be living with his brother while out on bond.
Vigil is due back in court in February.