Mugshot of Amarye Farrell. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — Early Wednesday morning, law enforcement officers arrested a 19-year-old male following a traffic stop that escalated into a high-speed chase and led to the discovery of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
According to a release from the V.I. Police Department, at approximately 12:59 a.m. on January 1, VIPD officers initiated a traffic stop on a white Acura in the area of Dorothy Lockhart Elskoe Drive (Raphune Hill). During the stop, the driver of the vehicle fled at high speed toward Alton Adams Drive, prompting officers to pursue.
The vehicle was abandoned near Third Street, where the driver and a passenger were seen fleeing on foot with firearms toward First Avenue. Upon approaching the vehicle, officers discovered a third male occupant, dressed in black, seated in the back of the car.
The individual, later identified as 19-year-old Amarye Farrell, was found within reach of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and a loaded extended magazine.
Farrell was taken into custody and charged with Constructive Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number. Unable to post bail set at $60,000, he was booked, processed, and turned over to the Bureau of Corrections. His Advise of Rights hearing is scheduled for Thursday, January 2, 2025.
The case remains under active investigation. Authorities are urging anyone with information related to this incident to contact 911 or the Office of the Police Chief.
