A St. Thomas man faces a weapons charge after a police chase through Havensight and Yacht Haven Grande on Monday on St. Thomas, the V.I. Police Department reported Thursday.
VIPD officers were conducting traffic stops on Frenchman’s Bay Road leading toward Havensight on Monday about 5:20 p.m. when a gray Toyota Corolla immediately exited the lane of traffic, turned around and drove off in the opposite direction, according to the VIPD.
Officers immediately responded to the fleeing vehicle that was now entering the oncoming lane of traffic trying to evade the officers who were in pursuit, police said.
“The driver entered the Havensight area at a high rate of speed, ignoring fellow motorists and pedestrians alike, as he ran through red lights headed towards the area of Yacht Haven Grande,” the report stated. Officers were able to pass the suspect as well as position their police vehicles behind his car to enclose the area and slow him down, it said.
The suspect was able to maneuver his vehicle into the entrance of the Paul M. Pearson Gardens housing community across from Yacht Haven Grande, where he drove toward the basketball courts. He then jumped out of the vehicle with a bag and ran toward a shortcut that led toward Charlotte Amalie High School, the report stated.
Officers pursued the suspect on foot toward 6th Street where he tossed the bag into the residence of an unknown citizen. That person immediately kicked it back outside where officers was able to retrieve it. The suspect continued to cut in between homes until he made it to 8th Street, where he was apprehended, the VIPD reported.
In the bag discarded by the suspect was a firearm belonging to his alleged girlfriend, who stated that the weapon was stolen, according to police. An extended clip and rounds for the weapon were also recovered, the report stated.
Akeem Elms, 33, was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm. Bail was set at $237,500. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections pending his advice of rights hearing, according to the report.
