A St. Thomas motorist turned himself into authorities Friday after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop and a tense confrontation with police. The defendant made a brief appearance in court on Monday, charged with obstructing law enforcement.
The encounter that investigators said led a patrol officer to draw their weapon on defendant Shahime Ludvig Jr. took place at the Four Winds Shopping Center in Anna’s Retreat. Documents filed in Superior Court accused Ludvig of getting out of a vehicle during a traffic stop with a firearm in hand.
Officers who initiated the traffic stop said the weapon was spotted when they inspected the vehicle’s interior with a flashlight. Once out of the car and facing an officer pointing a weapon at him, Ludvig fled the scene, court documents said.
At the time, authorities said police were looking into a report from Aug. 8 in the same area. “On Aug. 8, 2023, a report was filed (sic) regarding an assault incident involving a suspect who allegedly pointed a long rifle at another individual,” documents filed with the court said.
While in the area, patrol officers spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one described in the earlier incident. When officers approached the driver — identified as Ludvig — they said he also matched the description given by witnesses to the Aug. 8 incident.
After the defendant fled the traffic stop, the defendant appeared on a wanted poster circulated by the Virgin Islands Police Department. Later in the day of the confrontation at Four Winds, Ludvig turned himself in.
On Monday, at an initial hearing, Superior Court Magistrate Paula Norkadis upheld a single charge of interfering with an officer in the discharge of her duties. Ludvig was ordered to return to court for arraignment on Sept. 1 and released after paying a $1,000 bail.
