Dramatic Escape Attempt in St. Thomas Leads to Multiple Felony Charges
Te’Quori Lans's attempt to evade police during a routine stop results in a dangerous chase and a series of legal repercussions
2024-07-17 16:09:59 - VI News Staff
ST. THOMAS — On Saturday night in St. Thomas, while police were managing traffic during the Jah Love Concert at Pier 22 in Havensight, a routine traffic stop escalated into a significant incident for Te’Quori Lans.
Lans, driving a green Honda Civic, approached the West Indian Company main gate slowly and hesitated multiple times before entering the crossing, drawing police attention due to his unusual behavior.
According to court documents, upon stopping the vehicle due to its excessively tinted windshield, Lans displayed further suspicious behavior by refusing to provide necessary vehicle documents and exhibiting signs of distress, including sweating, shaking, and mumbling unintelligibly. His situation escalated when he reached for a fanny pack, shouting about the lack of probable cause for the stop, which led an officer to attempt to use a taser on him unsuccessfully.
Lans then accelerated, striking a marked police vehicle and fleeing the scene. He was pursued by police and eventually apprehended on the access road to Red Hook Plaza after nearly hitting several pedestrians and violating numerous traffic laws, including running red lights and swerving into oncoming traffic.