Two men are under arrest and a third is sought by authorities after St. Thomas traffic stops, police said Monday.
Police stopped a gray Toyota 4-Runner with illegally tinted windows near the Legislature bus stop on Alton Adams Drive late Friday afternoon. Police said they smelled a strong marijuana scent and questioned the driver, Maulique Caines, 27. Police said Caines acknowledged he’d smoked earlier in the day.
Police said they advised Caines of the territory’s cannabis laws — which currently prohibit cannabis consumption, possession, and sale.
A search of the vehicle turned up “a significant amount of white rock-like substance” that turned out to be crack cocaine, police said. They also allegedly found cannabis candy, organic cannabis, and drug paraphernalia.
Caines was cited for excessive front windshield tinting and charged with possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of illegal narcotics with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a church, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $15,000. Caines was turned over to the Bureau of Corrections pending his advice of rights hearing.
On Sunday night, police spotted the driver of a white Chevy Malibu not wearing his seatbelt on Turpentine Run Road. When an officer advised the driver to put it on, the driver allegedly performed an illegal U-turn and sped away. Officers — lights and sirens on — followed the car to Havensight but the driver refused to stop, speeding up Veterans Drive, police said.
On Moravian Highway, the Malibu collided with three vehicles and then three more vehicles on Julian Jackson Drive. When it finally came to a stop, a passenger wearing a yellow shirt and navy blue shorts fled. Police were unable to find him but detained the car’s driver. Kenneth Rogers was arrested for reckless endangerment. Bail was set at $30,000, which Rogers was unable to post pending his advice of rights hearing, police said.
