St. Croix Man Arrested for DUI After Crash Near Church

A St. Croix man was arrested for driving under the influence Saturday night following a two-car collision on Plessen Road, near the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Grove Place, the Virgin Islands Police Department announced.

Police said they responded to the scene around 8:11 p.m. and found that Ervin Christophe, 65, had allegedly crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle. The other driver told officers he was traveling south when Christophe, heading north, veered into his lane. Despite trying to avoid the oncoming vehicle, the driver said he was unable to prevent the crash, according to the police report.

Officers noted Christophe smelled strongly of alcohol and displayed several signs of impairment, including slurred speech, glossy eyes, and an unsteady gait. When questioned, Christophe admitted he had consumed two bottles of Heineken about an hour and a half before the crash, the police report stated.

A field sobriety test was administered, which Christophe failed, according to police. He was taken into custody and transported to the Wilbur Francis Command, where he consented to a breathalyzer test and blew over the legal limit.

Christophe was arrested and later surrendered his Virgin Islands driver’s license in lieu of bail, police said.