FREDERIKSTED — A St. Croix man who realized that he had been caught in a routine vehicle traffic stop near Villa La Reine early Tuesday morning, attempted to get way on foot, but was quickly captured by police, authorities said.
Eardley U. Pant, 39, of Williams Delight, was arrested at 12:25 a.m. Tuesday and charged with carrying a firearm openly or concealed, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
While conducting a DUI checkpoint on Queen Mary Highway near Villa La Reine officers pulled over a vehicle being driven by Pant, according to the VIPD.
“During the traffic stop, Pant exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said. “After an unlicensed firearm was found along the waistline of Pant’s clothing, he was arrested.”
Bail for Pant was set at $50,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections (BOC) pending an advice-of-rights hearing.