Police investigating deadly single-vehicle crash in St. Croix

Police are investigating a single-vehicle crash early this morning that left one person dead, authorities said.

Phi-Jah E. Merchant, 22, was positively identified by a family member as the accident victim, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, at approximately 4:07 a.m., Traffic Investigation Bureau Officers were informed of an automobile crash that occurred on the shoulder of the Melvin H. Evans Highway (Route 66) westbound lane in the vicinity of the William D. Roebuck Industrial Park, according to the VIPD.

Preliminary investigation revealed the operator of the vehicle was traveling westbound when the vehicle suddenly veered left onto the shoulder of the road at a high rate of speed and collided with a WAPA pole, police said.