Mugshot of Kherique Lewis. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. THOMAS — A St. Thomas man faces firearm and traffic charges after police say he crashed head-on into one vehicle and sideswiped another, with a loaded handgun falling onto the roadway as officers removed him from his heavily damaged Ford Ranger.
Kherique Lewis appeared in court Monday, where Magistrate Julie Smith Todman found probable cause to uphold all charges against him and reduced his bail from $75,000 to $50,000.
The incident began late Friday afternoon as officers conducted traffic enforcement at the intersection of Elmo D. Roebuck Sr. Drive and Bakkero Way. Police said they saw a red Ford Ranger pass three vehicles before turning east onto Elmo D. Roebuck Sr. Drive and decided to follow the truck.
As officers drove east looking for the Ranger, they encountered several vehicles pulled onto the side of the road before hearing a loud crash. Police said they then saw the Ford, which had collided head-on with a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction and sideswiped a third vehicle during the collision.
According to police, Mr. Lewis was still attempting to drive the heavily damaged Ranger when officers approached. They removed him from the vehicle and heard a thump, then looked toward the sound and saw a firearm lying on the roadway near the driver's side door.
The weapon was identified as a Sig Sauer P365 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and a 15-round magazine.
Mr. Lewis was taken to the hospital following the crash. Police say that while there, he complained that officers had confiscated his “favorite gun” and admitted that he had consumed alcoholic beverages before driving.
According to police, Mr. Lewis also said he panicked when he saw the traffic enforcement operation because the Ranger was unregistered and uninsured and the firearm was unlicensed.
Investigators subsequently confirmed that the vehicle was unregistered and uninsured and that Mr. Lewis did not have a license for the firearm, police said. They also determined that the license plates displayed on the Ranger belonged to another vehicle.
Mr. Lewis was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, reckless endangerment, operating an unregistered vehicle, operating an uninsured vehicle, illegal transfer of plates and interfering with an officer.
Unable to post the initial $75,000 bail, he was remanded into custody pending his advice-of-rights hearing.
During Monday's hearing, Magistrate Smith Todman found probable cause for all charges and reduced bail to $50,000. Ten percent of that amount may be paid in cash to secure Mr. Lewis's release, with the remainder signed as an unsecured bond.
If released ahead of trial, Mr. Lewis must report to the probation office twice weekly by telephone and comply with the remaining standard bail conditions imposed by the court.
His next court appearance is scheduled for September 11.
Advertisements
