Two St. Croix men led police officers on a high-speed chase after they were involved in a drive-by shooting, the V.I. Police Department reported Wednesday.
On Oct. 8, 2023, the 911 Emergency Call Center received reports of shots being fired on Midland Road in the vicinity of Marvelous Auto Body. Responding officers met the victims, who stated that someone fired shots at them from a moving vehicle, disabling their vehicle. Members of the Criminal Investigation Bureau followed up with an investigation into this case, which revealed that Randy Morales and Jose Quinones drove by the victims and fired shots at their vehicle, according to the police report.
On Oct. 18, 2023, the 911 Emergency Call Center received reports that Quinones was seen operating a vehicle in the vicinity of Estate Profit. Special Operations Unit traveled and attempted to contact the occupants of the vehicle; however, they drove off at a high rate of speed in an attempt to flee from police. The occupants then began to discharge shots at the officers when they arrived in the Barren Spot residential area and exited the vehicle. An investigation later revealed that Quinones was one of the occupants who discharged shots at the police officers, the police report stated.
After conducting both investigations, in January of 2024, two arrest warrants were granted for Quinones, including a search warrant for his residence, and one arrest warrant was granted for Morales, the report stated.
On Wednesday, members of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Special Operations Bureau,
K9 Unit, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency executed Operation “Top Shottas,” where a
search warrant was executed on Quinones’ residence. During this operation, numerous illegal firearms, ammunition, and drugs were seized at his residence. Quinones, 21 was detained and subsequently arrested for the arrest warrants and the firearm. Morales, 25, was arrested in reference to the arrest warrant, it said.
Quinones and Morales were transported to the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station. They were charged with attempted murder in the first degree, assault first, reckless
endangerment, assault third and carrying and using a dangerous weapon, according to the report.
They were both advised of their Miranda Rights and unable to post bail at $1,050,000 for Quinones and $500,000 for Morales. Both men were remanded at the John Bell Correctional Facility pending their advice of rights hearing set for Thursday, at the Superior Court, police said.
