KINGSHILL — Two men and one woman will hear a charge of domestic violence read to them in Superior Court on St. Croix this morning.
Additionally one woman will appear in an advice-of-rights hearing for “driving while intoxicated.”
In Magistrate Judge Yolan C. Brow-Ross’ courtroom at the Superior Court in Estate Kingshill:
- Tarik Searles is scheduled for a “hearing” following his arrest on a domestic violence charge, including: 14 Virgin Islands Code (V.I. Code) § 1266 defines the crime of Destruction of Other Property, making it illegal for someone to maliciously injure or destroy someone else’s real or personal property when not covered by other specific laws, with penalties of fines, jail time, or both.
- Dylan St. Hillaire is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing after being arrested for domestic violence including: 14 Virgin Islands Code (V.I. Code) § 1266 defines the crime of Destruction of Other Property, making it illegal for someone to maliciously injure or destroy someone else’s real or personal property when not covered by other specific laws, with penalties of fines, jail time, or both.
- Kathryn Vollmer is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing after being arrested for impaired driving, including 20 V.I.C. § 493(a) (Virgin Islands Code) defines the crime of driving while intoxicated (DWI) or under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances, making it illegal to operate a vehicle while impaired or with a blood alcohol content (BAC) at or above the legal limit (often 0.08%). Violations include driving drunk and having a high BAC, with penalties increasing for repeat offenses, and it’s a key law enforced in campaigns like “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”.
Key Aspects of 20 V.I.C. § 493(a)
Driving While Intoxicated: The core offense is operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquors or controlled substances, or a combination thereof, to a degree that impairs driving ability.
Per Se Limit: It also prohibits driving with a specific BAC, such as 0.08% or more, even if impairment isn’t definitively proven.
Commercial Vehicles/Underage: Amendments have added stricter rules, like lower BAC limits (0.04%) for commercial drivers and zero tolerance for drivers under 21.
Penalties: Penalties for violations can include fines, imprisonment, and license suspension, with increased severity for subsequent offenses.
In simple terms, if you’re caught driving drunk or high in the U.S. Virgin Islands, you’re violating Title 20, Section 493(a) of our code.
4. Lauren Rice is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing after her arrest on a domestic violence charge, including 14 Virgin Islands Code (V.I. Code) § 297(a) defines the crime of Assault in the Third Degree, which involves assaulting someone under circumstances not rising to first or second-degree assault, such as with intent to commit a felony, using a deadly weapon, causing serious bodily injury, or with premeditated design to inflict great harm, carrying penalties including fines, jail time, or both.