Mugshot of Haysely Durand. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A 20-year-old man has been charged with a series of crimes after crashing into a utility pole while attempting to evade police.
Durand Haysely is charged with a total of seven offenses including possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and use, possession, sale, manufacture, distribution, delivery, purchase, and advertisement of drug paraphernalia. He is also charged with destruction of property, as well as multiple traffic-related offenses including failing to signal and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Haysely was arrested on November 7 after officers on mobile patrol in the area of the Queen Mary Highway observed a vehicle with no rear license plate. According to police, while officers activated their blue emergency lights and siren to traffic stop the vehicle, the driver slowed down as if to stop, before making an aggressive left turn. He then took off at a high speed onto an unknown side road, however officers were unable to keep up due to mechanical issues. Officers temporarily lost sight of the vehicle before they noticed it racing heading towards a steep hill.
Officers then continued over the steep hill and discovered that the vehicle had collided into a utility pole, causing it to snap in half. According to the probable cause fact sheet, officers then noticed a male, later identified as Durand Haysely struggling to exit the driver’s side of the vehicle. He then took off running with an object under his arm. A uniformed officer exited the police vehicle and identified himself before pursuing the suspect on foot. Despite ordering him to stop several times, Durand refused, the fact sheet stated. Although another officer attempted to cut him off at an intersection using the police vehicle, Haysely dropped the object he was carrying and continued running.
After Haysely ignored the officer’s order to drop to the ground, the officer drew his service taser and ordered Haysely to stop, otherwise, he would be tased. At that point the suspect stopped running and dropped to the ground, allowing officers to cuff him without incident.
Officers recovered the unknown object he dropped which proved to be a large mason jar containing a sandwich bag with a green leafy substance officers suspected to be marijuana. Officers then inspected the vehicle where they found another mason jar containing more of the green leafy substance, as well as a black measuring scale and 60 empty artist paint cups. The substance later tested positive for marijuana and measured 48.83 ounces. Officers later discovered that the vehicle was unregistered.
Haysely appeared for a virtual hearing on Monday, after initially being unable to post bail. During the hearing, the court learned that it was his first arrest. At the close of the hearing, Judge Ernest Morris Jr. concluded that Haysely’s bail would be set in the form of an unsecured bond in the amount of $7,500. The bond must also be signed by his court-approved third-party custodian, with whom he will reside while the matter is pending. He has also been subjected to a daily 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew which will allow him to continue his work in construction. During the pendency of the matter, Haysely is prohibited from leaving the territory without written permission from the court.
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