Two suspects tried to flee police in a stolen car Thursday afternoon but were chased down and arrested, the V.I. Police Department reported.
The arrested suspects were identified as Moses Laronde Jr., 19, and Troy J Normil, 18.
According to police, at about 1:15 p.m. Thursday officers on routine patrol spotted a blue Jeep Wrangler headed east on Brookman Road that fit the description of a vehicle that had been reported stolen. The officers signaled to the occupants of the vehicle to stop, but the vehicle began to speed away.
The vehicle sped through high traffic and construction areas at a high rate of speed, according to the police report. Officers then saw the two occupants of the vehicle jump out of the moving vehicle, which collided into the concrete retaining wall of a residence. Police gave chase through thick bush and retrieved two pairs of sandals, which had been discarded in the bush.
Officers then saw the two suspects diving into an inland pond.
K9 officers were called in and officers told the suspects the dogs will be deployed if they did not surrender, which they did.
Laronde and Normil were arrested about 3:15 p.m. They were charged with unauthorized possession of a vehicle, possession of stolen property, grand larceny, destruction of property, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.
Their bail was set at $67,000 each. The suspects were remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending further court action.
