ST. CROIX — A man wanted in connection with a violent incident that left two individuals injured in St. Croix has been apprehended at the Texas border and extradited to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the V.I. Police Department has confirmed.

The suspect, 34-year-old Geraldo Ojeda Montiel, was implicated in a shooting and hit-and-run incident on July 2, 2022, at Yamasa Bar in St. Croix. According to the VIPD, Montiel and an accomplice were involved in an argument with two male victims. The confrontation escalated when Montiel reportedly left the scene, returned armed with a firearm, and shot one victim in the back and the other in the foot. The situation turned more violent when Montiel, operating a gray Toyota Tundra, struck the victim who had been shot in the back, running him over before fleeing the scene.

The Toyota Tundra was later found abandoned in the Work and Rest area of St. Croix. Both suspects reportedly used Montiel’s boat to escape the territory, traveling to St. Martin, where they disappeared from local authorities.

A warrant for Montiel’s arrest was issued on September 28, 2022, and his whereabouts remained unknown until May 9, 2024, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detained him at the Texas border for illegal entry into the United States. Montiel was held in custody for six months before being extradited back to the Virgin Islands on November 16, 2024.

Upon his return to St. Croix, Montiel was arrested and charged with attempted murder. He was booked and transported to the John Bell Correctional Facility, where he awaits his Advice of Rights hearing scheduled for November 18, 2024.

The VIPD continues its investigation into the incident, urging the community to come forward with any additional information that may assist in the case.