FREDERIKSTED — A St. Croix man who ran a red light on the Melvin Evans Highway Sunday morning faces drug and theft charges, authorities said.
Karmal A. Michael, 39, of Williams Delight, was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm openly or concealed and possession of stolen property, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The Special Operations Bureau (SOB) was conducting Street Operations and saturated patrol at 1:55 a.m. Sunday when they traffic stopped a grey Acura RDX, for failing to stop at a red traffic light at the intersection of the Industrial Park on the Melvin Evans Highway, according to the VIPD.
During the traffic stop, the officers immediately smelled what appeared to be a strong odor of marijuana emanating from inside of his vehicle, VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.
Police also observed a green leafy substance in a transparent plastic bag in the driver’s door pocket, according to Dratte.
Officers asked the driver if there was any more illegal narcotics inside his vehicle and Michael replied: “Yes.” The suspect then began searching in the middle console compartment of the vehicle.
At this point, the officers instructed Michael to exit the vehicle, but he was uncooperative and made a move to drive off, police said.
Eventually the suspect turned off the engine and exited the vehicle.
A further search of the vehicle was conducted and a black Glock 22 .40 Caliber handgun was discovered in the middle console of the compartment, the police spokesman said.
Bail for Michael was set at $50,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending an advice-of-rights hearing.