From left to right, mugshots of K’Andre Lake and Kerwan Warrington. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. THOMAS — A Friday morning traffic stop on Veterans Drive escalated into a crash, a foot chase, the recovery of a handgun, ammunition, a rifle magazine and a rifle, charges against K’Andre Lake, and the later arrest of the vehicle’s driver, Kerwan Warrington, according to police.
Court documents reveal that officers were on patrol along Veterans Drive last Friday morning when they saw a black sedan traveling eastbound without a visible rear license plate. Police moved to stop the vehicle, but the driver did not yield to lights and siren. Instead, the car accelerated, drove into the lane of oncoming traffic, then veered back into the eastbound lane, swerving in and out of traffic in what police described as an apparent attempt to evade officers.
The pursuit ended after an unsuccessful attempt to turn onto 5th Street. Police said the vehicle collided with a concrete structure.
After the car came to an abrupt stop, two men dressed in black got out and ran south on 5th Street. K’Andre Lake was detained at the scene.
Officers then searched the vehicle and found the missing license plate behind the driver’s seat, along with clothing, a cell phone, and a Nike-branded backpack. Inside that backpack, police reported finding a 30-round .223 rifle magazine.
Police also searched the backpack Lake was carrying on his person. Inside, officers found a black Glock handgun. According to police, the serial number on the weapon was undecipherable, and the gun was fitted with a modification that allows it to be fired like an automatic weapon. Officers also found a 23-round magazine in the weapon, an additional 15-round magazine, and one .223 cartridge.
After Lake was transported to Schneider Regional Medical Center, police said he disclosed the location of the rifle connected to the .223 magazine and cartridge. Officers found the weapon in the place Lake directed them to.
Lake was ultimately charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm with conversion kit, unauthorized possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, unauthorized possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm within 1000 feet of a school, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and 2 counts of unauthorized possession of ammunition. He was remanded into custody to await his advice of rights hearing.
In court on Monday, Magistrate Simone VanHolten Turnbull found probable cause to uphold all charges against Lake. Bail was set at $100,000, with $7,000 required in cash and the remainder signed as an unsecured bond.
Once released from detention, Lake will be required to report to the probation office twice a week in person. He will be restricted to house arrest and may leave home only for work, court-mandated appointments, or emergency medical care. Judge VanHolten Turnbull also explicitly banned Lake from participating in St. Thomas Carnival activities.
His next court appearance is scheduled for April 17.
Police identified the driver of the vehicle as Kerwan Warrington. According to police, he was later arrested, but as of press time there were no court records available indicating whether he had appeared before a magistrate.
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