Refusal to Comply in Beau-Vallon: 26-Year-Old Driver Arrested After a Chase

A 26-year-old driver thought he could escape. When signaled to stop by the police while driving his car, he instead accelerated, prompting law enforcement to engage in a chase to apprehend him. Dried leaves suspected to be cannabis were found in his vehicle.

The incident occurred on Monday around 10:30 AM on the main road in Beau-Vallon, during a vehicle inspection by a Blue-Bay police team. A Mercedes coming from Mahébourg and heading towards Plaine-Magnien caught the officers' attention immediately. They signaled the driver to pull over for a check, but he ignored their instructions and sped off.

The police quickly pursued the suspect. He attempted to evade them, but the officers maintained their pursuit. After a chase, the vehicle was finally intercepted near the Solitude roundabout.

Once stopped, the driver, a resident of New-Grove, was asked to present his driver's license. When questioned about his refusal to stop, he responded, "I was afraid because of that I didn't stop." Informed that he had committed an offense, he simply replied, "Sorry, sir."

The police then conducted a search of the vehicle. They discovered several offensive weapons, including two knives, a saber, and a metal baseball bat. When questioned about these items, the young man stated, "I use the saber to cut coconuts." He was informed again of his rights and the charges against him.

He was taken to the Blue-Bay police station for further investigation. A thorough search of the vehicle also revealed a crusher containing leaves suspected to be cannabis, stored in the glove compartment. The individual claimed, "I picked up that crusher on the beach."

A search conducted at his home led to the seizure of additional leaves suspected to be cannabis, along with rolling papers. The suspect was placed in police custody.