'Reckless' Motorcyclist Arrested and Charged with Possession of Firearm, Third-Degree Assault

  • Staff Consortium
  • March 30, 2020
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Shamar N. Lewis By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT

ST. THOMAS — Police on Thursday arrested a motorcyclist and charged him with possession of an unlicensed firearm after he maneuvered to evade officers, only to lose control and collide into a nearby parked vehicle.

According to V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima, on March 26 at about 5:21p.m., officers arrested Shamar N. Lewis, age 21 of Altona, who was also charged with third-degree assault.

According to the police report, officers encountered Lewis while in the vicinity of Four Winds Plaza operating a motorcycle with no helmet on. Officers attempted to stop Lewis, but instead of stopping, he accelerated his motorcycle, causing officers to take evasive action to avoid being hit. Lewis lost control of the motorcycle and collided into a nearby parked vehicle. Lewis was in possession of a knapsack, and officers found an unlicensed firearm in it. He was placed under arrest as a result.

Lewis was released on $25,000 unsecured bond, was placed on a curfew and ordered to surrender his travel documents to the court as conditions of his bail at his advisement hearing, according to Mr. Derima.

“This is the second straight day an arrest was made of a rogue motorcycle operator and the VI Police Department will not tolerate such reckless behavior on our roadways. Safety of everyone is important while operating a vehicle upon the public roadways. Driving is a privilege and not a right,” said St. Thomas/St. John District Chief of Police Ludrick Thomas.

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