Mugshot of Akeel Owens. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — A man has been charged with reckless endangerment, third-degree assault and interfering with an officer discharging his duties.
Akeel Owens was arrested on Friday night by officers conducting a traffic initiative in the area of Blongo Bay. according to the probable cause fact sheet, the officers observed a vehicle heading east with no front license plate and stopped it. Upon making contact with the operator identified as Owens, the officers reportedly observed that he appeared nervous. The fact sheet asserts that he babbled and repeated phrases that made no sense, while also failing to answer questions directly. The police further noted that the driver’s hands shook slightly and that he fumbled and dropped his documents several times when the officers requested them.
This nervous behavior aroused suspicion which was further heightened by the smell of marijuana, according to the probable cause fact sheet. Owens was asked to exit the vehicle and appeared to comply but instead quickly took off, forcing one of the officers to move out of the vehicle’s path to avoid being struck. Owens then sped off towards Bovoni in an attempt to evade the officers. Police then chased him down and according to the fact sheet, due to a mechanical failure the front of the police vehicle collided with the rear of his. An officer immediately exited his vehicle and ordered Owens to do the same. This time he complied and was detained.
The fact sheet notes that police saw Owens throwing several items out of the vehicle while being chased and when officers inspected the area they found a plastic bag with a green leafy substance that later tested positive for marijuana. A search of the vehicle also revealed another container with marijauana.
Bail was initially set at $57,000 but was later reduced to $25,000 at an advisement hearing on Monday. The judge explained that Owens will be released on the posting of 10 percent of the figure.
