Man advised of his rights while in Luis Hospital bed
Published: September 27, 2012
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
ST. CROIX - V.I. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Miguel Camacho and an entourage of court officers walked into Luis Hospital on Wednesday morning to conduct an advice-of-rights hearing for a man arrested early Sunday morning on reckless driving and related charges.
Roman Luis Sanchez, 26, of Estate Richmond was arrested at 4:35 a.m. Sunday and charged with reckless driving, operating an unregistered vehicle, operating an uninsured vehicle and driving without a valid driver's license after police said he tried to avoid a traffic stop and crashed in a wooded area in Anna's Hope.
After his arrest, Sanchez also was charged with aggravated assault and battery on an officer.
Sanchez was confined to his hospital bed and was laying flat on his back as Camacho advised him that if he is convicted of the charges, he could face more than five years in prison.
According to a probable cause fact sheet filed in Superior Court by V.I. Police Officer Rolando Huertas, he and his partner, Officer Robin Richards, were on routine patrol in Peter's Rest when motorists flagged them down and told them that a man and woman were fighting in the street nearby. The officers travelled to the area and put on their police flashers as they approached the couple, and at that time the woman and the man, now identified as Sanchez, got into the truck and sped away, Huertas said.
Huertas said he heard the woman screaming as they drove away, and the two officers followed the truck. However, instead of pulling over, Sanchez accelerated, according to Huertas. Trying to turn into the Anna's Hope residential area, Sanchez lost control of the car and ran into thick brush, according to the court document.
Sanchez and a passenger who was in the bed of the truck ran from the truck, but police were able to locate them nearby and took Sanchez into custody, Huertas said.
Sanchez complained of neck pains after the accident and was taken to the Luis Hospital emergency room, according to Huertas. While there, Sanchez was belligerent and boisterous, making excessive noise and yelling obscenities, Huertas said. Sanchez tried to walk out of the hospital and dared Huertas and Richards to hit him, according to the reports. Sanchez then hit Huertas in the stomach and tried to hit him in his face with his hands, which were cuffed in front of him.
Huertas said he and Richards physically restrained Sanchez, and after Sanchez was seen by the emergency room physician, police were advised that he had suffered neck and back trauma and had to be admitted to the hospital.
During the hearing Monday, Camacho advised Sanchez that his bail has been set at $1,000. Sanchez remains hospitalized, and upon his release he will be taken to Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility unless he secures the entire bail amount and produces a third-party custodian suitable to the court.
Sanchez is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 10.
- Contact reporter Fiona Stokes at 714-9149 or email fstokes@dailynews.vi.
To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.
Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.
