Appearing in V.I. Superior Court Thursday for arraignment in three separate cases, 21-year-old Ritchie Fontaine pleaded not guilty to all the charges currently pending against him and asked for a speedy jury trial.
Fontaine has been arrested several times over the past few weeks and was most recently charged with reckless endangerment and possession of a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a shootout near E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School that put one 10-year-old school student in the hospital last May with a gunshot wound to the left shoulder.
The boy survived the shooting, but had to be airlifted to a hospital in Puerto Rico for further treatment.
Bail in that case previously was set at $150,000.
Fontaine is also facing charges of reckless endangerment, destruction of property, possession of a dangerous weapon and two counts of first degree robbery for two separate incidents: one a recent shooting incident in Smith Bay and the other an armed robbery about three weeks ago in Estate Anna’s Retreat.
During a recent advice of rights hearing, bail in both cases was set at $150,000 and $200,000 respectively.
During Thursday’s arraignment, Magistrate Court Judge Alan D. Smith split the cases up between Superior Court Judges Brenda J. Hollar and Michael Dunstan.
The deadline for discovery in all the cases is Sept. 17, while the deadline for all motions is Sept. 24. The deadline for responses to all motions is Oct. 1, while the deadline for pleas is Oct. 8. The last date for a change of plea is Oct. 15.
