Traffic Stop Turns Into Police Pursuit Last Friday: Four Men Arrested
Wed, 2019-10-30
Around 12:30pm Friday, October 25th police officers on mobile patrol in a police vehicle along South Road in Paget observed that a car traveling east along the same road was unlicensed and one of the occupants was acting suspiciously, changing his shirt. As a result, a traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle in the parking area near Ice Queen.
The officers approached the car – which had four men inside – and instructed the driver to turn off the vehicle, which he did. At that time one of the rear passengers attempted to exit the car, but was stopped from doing so. The driver then started the vehicle and accelerated out of the car park, traveling west on South Road, Paget.
Other police vehicles joined the first police vehicle in pursuing the car along South Road on to Middle Road, Paget and into Warwick – where a minor damage only collision occurred with another private car that had pulled to the side of the road – before the car driver continued on, causing other motorists to take evasive action.
Eventually the pursuit ended when the car came to a stop in the Whale Bay Road, Southampton area. One occupant remained in the vehicle, while the other three ran off, with some officers close behind on foot – resulting in all four men being apprehended.
A small quantity of cannabis, drug equipment and a knife were discovered in the car.
The driver, said to be a 27 year old Sandys parish man, was ticketed for various traffic offences and released on police bail regarding other linked offences including assault on police (minor), possession of a bladed article and possession of drug equipment.
Two of the three passengers, 29 year old Ashun Hassell and 18 year old Shae Hassell, appeared in Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 28th for outstanding warrants unrelated to Friday’s pursuit.
The older Hassell was remanded after failing to pay $800 worth of fines forthwith, but the fines were later paid and he has since been released. A social inquiry report was ordered for the younger Hassell, who was released on $2,000 bail plus one surety.
The other passenger, said to be a 24 year old Sandys parish man, was released from police custody without charge.
