Mugshot of Brett Grady. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — A Kansas native is facing criminal charges in St. Thomas after police discovered him apparently intoxicated and asleep at the wheel.
Brett Grady, age 36, was arrested after the vehicle he was driving reportedly went off the Crown Mountain road on Tuesday night. Officers who were dispatched to the scene found the vehicle off the roadway being held in place by a steel line attached to a Water and Power Authority pole. Police later observed that several wires on the pole had been damaged.
Upon inspection, officers discovered that the driver, later identified as Brett Grady, was hunched over with his head on the steering wheel. He appeared unresponsive and asleep. An officer noted a strong odor of alcohol as police attempted to wake the driver. It reportedly took several attempts of shaking and calling him before he responded. Officers assisted Grady out of the vehicle, noting that he was unable to maintain his balance. They also observed that his speech was slurred and his eyes were glazed over.
Despite bleeding from his nose, the driver declined medical attention when emergency personnel arrived. He later failed the standardized field sobriety tests which included standing on one leg, walking and turning and a gaze test. Grady was also subjected to a chemical test which produced a blood alcohol content of .234.
On Wednesday a judge found probable cause to charge Grady with driving under the influence, negligent driving, operating a vehicle without a valid license and driving with an illegal blood alcohol content. The court learned that the defendant had a prior DUI arrest in 2015, a factor which led Assistant V.I. Attorney General Brenda Scales to suggest that his driving is ‘problematic’. Scales therefore asked that bail be set at $1000 and that Grady’s license be suspended immediately.
Meanwhile, defense counsel Mary Ann Matney recommended that bail be set at $500, noting that the previous DUI should have been expunged from the defendant’s record as he underwent a diversion program. Matney also told the court that while Grady is originally from Kansas, he has resided and worked in the Virgin Islands for two and a half years.
Judge Norkaitis eventually agreed to the defendant’s release on a $500 bail, emphasizing that he must surrender his passport and license to the court within 24 hours of his release. His driving privileges have been suspended for 90 days and he shall not drive while the matter remains pending. The judge noted that she was concerned that Grady has a prior DUI encounter and that he appears to be a danger to himself and others while driving.
Advertisements
