JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An 18-year-old facing a manslaughter accusation in the death of a St. Johns County deputy is set to appear in court on Friday for a hearing on his bond.
A confrontation between Vergilio Aguilar-Mendez, who is from Guatemala, and Sgt. Michael Kunovich happened in May when Kunovich reported a suspicious person standing outside of a closed business near the St. Augustine Outlets.
After a struggle with Aguilar-Mendez, as he tried to search and detain him, Kunovich collapsed and later died at the hospital.
According to the medical examiner, Kunovich’s cause of death was cardiac dysrhythmia, the result of damaged arteries and high blood pressure. The manner of his death was “natural” and the contributing cause was “physical exertion and possible emotional stress while apprehending a fleeing suspect.”
Aguilar-Mendez’s civil attorney Phillip Arroyo issued a statement following the release of a lengthy sheriff’s office report.
“In light of these revelations, we implore the Office of the State Attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida to drop all charges against Mr. Aguilar-Mendez and that he be released from jail where he has been for the past seven months for a crime he did not commit,” Arroyo wrote in part.
If the charges are not dropped, Aguilar-Mendez’s attorney wants him released or to have his bond set at no more than $50,000.
Timeline
Some of the most significant developments in the case happened this week, and it’s not over yet.
Here’s a look back at how the case unfolded.
May 19, 2023: Kunovich approaches a man at a closed business next to a Super 8 Hotel off State Road 16 in St. Augustine. At this point, we knew there was a struggle between Kunovich and the man. Following the struggle, Kunovich collapsed and died at the hospital. Aguilar-Mendez was charged with felony murder and resisting an officer with violence.
May 25: St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick spoke publicly about the incident at a “violence against police” news conference. The next day, Sky 4 flew over the funeral service for Kunovich.
June 8: The autopsy on Kunovich is done but the results were not released until Dec. 20.
July 21: The felony murder charge for Aguilar-Mendez is reduced to aggravated manslaughter.
Aug. 1: Aguilar-Mendez’s defense attorney ordered a psychological evaluation. By Oct. 11, the evaluation is done.
Nov. 21: Aguilar-Mendez’s defense attorney files a motion for a hearing and to set bond. In the filing, it was revealed that Aguilar-Mendez speaks very little English and was waiting on a court date for an immigration hearing, and was working at local farms in St. Augustine while staying at the Super 8 hotel.
The defense filing also said Kunovich died from a heart attack and released body camera video of the incident. The video showed a language barrier and a minutes-long struggle to detain him.
(The video may be disturbing for some viewers, so discretion is strongly advised. News4JAX is only publishing the first two minutes of the nine-minute video to be transparent, as well as respectful to the families. The video gives an unedited view of what happened leading up to the arrest.)
Dec. 11: Aguilar-Mendez’s family in Guatemala retains a civil attorney.
Dec. 15: National media outlets start picking up the story.
Dec. 19: News4JAX tried to speak with Hardwick about the incident, but he declined to comment.
Dec. 20: The Sheriff’s Office released a 44-page incident report with several accounts from deputies who responded to the call, an interview with Aguilar-Mendez and the medical examiner’s report.
Dec. 22: Court hearing for evidence and a motion to set bond to be held at 9 a.m.
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