ST. THOMAS — A driver who police say fled two attempted traffic stops is facing multiple charges after his vehicle broke down during the second encounter, sending four occupants running on foot before officers recovered a firearm near a church on St. Thomas.
According to a police report filed in court, officers first attempted to stop a heavily tinted Acura RDX approximately two weeks before the latest incident, but the driver fled. Police spotted the vehicle again last Friday, traveling south near Four Winds Plaza, and attempted another traffic stop.
The driver reportedly made a U-turn and sped toward Lucky Street before turning left onto Ronald A. “Silmo” Blyden Drive. Police said the Acura became disabled “due to apparent transmission issues and falling car parts,” prompting all four occupants to flee on foot.
Two ran toward the parking lot of Wesley Methodist Church, while the other two headed toward Joseph Gomez Elementary School. The abandoned SUV continued rolling along Blyden Drive until it struck a parked vehicle and came to rest.
Officers observed that one of the men who ran toward the church was carrying a bag, while the other held an unidentified object. When the pair emerged from the parking lot, the second man was no longer carrying the object. Both were detained, but police were unable to locate the vehicle's other two occupants.
A search of the Acura uncovered a bag on the driver's side floorboard containing a 30-round extended magazine. The driver, identified as Winston Exius, told police he did not have a license to carry firearms in the Virgin Islands.
When questioned about the magazine, Exius maintained that the ammunition must have belonged to one of the other occupants. However, according to the police report, he was able to identify and describe the bag in which the magazine was found. He was subsequently transported to the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Complex.
Officers returned to the area the following morning to continue their search and discovered a black Glock 19 handgun fitted with an extended magazine in the brush near Wesley Methodist Church.
Investigators also reviewed surveillance footage from the church parking lot, which reportedly showed one of the fleeing men placing an object in the brush where the firearm was recovered. Police said the individual was wearing clothing matching what Exius had on when he was detained.
Exius was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, first-degree reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to operate a vehicle in a safe and prudent manner, failure to stop when ordered by police, interfering with an officer discharging his duty, excessive tint, and tinted license plates.
During his initial court appearance on Monday, Magistrate Julie Todman-Smith found probable cause to support the charges. His initial bail of $100,000 was modified to allow him to post $5,005 in cash, and he was released into the care of an approved third-party custodian.
Exius is scheduled to return to court on November 6.
