Woman Charged With Vehicular Homicide Of Tourist Released On Unsecured Bond

A St. Thomas woman who is charged in the death of a tourist during a vehicular accident has been granted bail, the V.I. Department of Justice announced via press release today.

On Friday, police arrested Jehrelle Warner, 27, of Tutu Hi-Rise housing community and charged her with negligent homicide by means of motor vehicle, negligent driving, operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license and failing to yield the right of way at crosswalks in relation to an incident that occurred Thursday on Havensight Road near the Tramway.

Warner made her first court appearance on Monday morning and stood before V.I. Superior Court Magistrate Carolyn Hermon-Purcell for her advice-of-rights hearing. Having reviewed the probable cause fact sheet filed in the matter, Magistrate Hermon-Purcell ruled that there was sufficient evidence to support the arrest.

Magistrate Hermon-Purcell maintained Warner’s bail at $25,000 and allowed her to post an unsecured bond to secure her release, while ordering her to abide by a number of court-imposed conditions, which include not driving a vehicle in the Virgin Islands and not applying for a driver’s license during the pendency of her case.

According to the probable cause fact sheet filed by Officer LaToya Schneider, a tourist from Germany vacationing aboard the Royal Princess Cruise Ship, told police that she and her wheelchair-bound husband were crossing the street on the pedestrian crosswalk when a vehicle came speeding in their direction. The woman told police that she heard the brakes screeching and the vehicle struck the middle of the wheelchair on the wheels, knocking the wheelchair out of her hands. The man fell from the wheelchair and one of the woman’s feet was caught under the wheels of the car.

The victims were rushed to Schneider hospital where the woman was treated for her injuries and released. The man suffered injuries to his head and knees and later died, according to the probable cause fact sheet.

Investigation revealed that traffic in the left lane stopped to allow the victims to cross the street, when Warner overtook the safari in front of her and struck the woman and her husband while they were in the right northbound lane crossing the street, Schneider wrote.

Warner is expected to return to court on Feb. 16 for her arraignment hearing at which she will answer to the charges.