Mugshot of Rashawn Jackson. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. CROIX — A routine traffic stop for illegal tint and reckless driving escalated into a high-speed chase, ending in the arrest of the driver, Rashawn Jackson, on felony gun charges.
According to court documents, on Friday, officers were traveling eastward on the Queen Mary Highway when they saw a black Acura TSX heading in the opposite direction, reportedly with no front license plate and a fully tinted front windshield. The officers radioed an alert and then turned around to follow the car, which turned into the parking lot of Quality Electric Store, albeit without coming to a complete stop.
Another marked police unit pulled up and tried to stop directly in front of the black Acura, however the driver maneuvered around the police unit and drove back onto Queen Mary Highway, heading east towards the Cool Out Bar intersection before making a right turn onto Hope Road and accelerating westward on Hope Road.
The car continued down Hope Road towards the Melvin Evans Highway, reportedly overtaking several vehicles on a solid double yellow line. Eventually, police say it collided with a truck, but continued driving, turning off Melvin Evans into the Home Depot parking lot and heading towards the back of the Home Depot building. The Acura rounded the corner at the eastern side of the lumber section and was heading back into the parking lot area when it collided with a police vehicle and finally came to a complete stop.
After the chase, police approached the vehicle, weapons drawn, and ordered the driver to roll down the windows and put his hands out of the window. As one officer reached to handcuff the man, he reportedly heard a colleague shout “Gun!” and instead pulled the man through the car window. The driver reportedly attempted to run but police forced him to the ground and secured him in handcuffs. The weapon was reportedly in plain view on the floorboard, sticking out from underneath the driver’s seat.
In handcuffs, Jackson reportedly told officers that he had found the gun, and that it belonged to him — a conflicting account.
A forensics technician identified the weapon as a Glock 27, loaded with 15 live .40 caliber rounds in an extended magazine and one round in the chamber. A second magazine was also recovered from the vehicle, this one containing 13 rounds of live .40 caliber ammunition.
A check with the Firearms Bureau revealed that Jackson is not licensed to carry a firearm. He was subsequently arrested and charged with firearm possession, possession of ammunition, and disobeying a lawful order.
While details of Jackson’s advice of rights hearing on Monday have not yet been made public, court records indicate that he was offered pre-trial release by Magistrate Yolan Brow Ross, with bail conditions that include a cash component of $500, which was paid. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 6.
