For the reporting period of Monday, April 27th – Sunday, May 3rd, your CPD Officers responded to 458 calls for service. These included 18 vehicle crashes and 50 requests for Officers to assist other agencies. Among those calls were the following incidents:
A woman reported she had been driving westbound on Clayton Rd. on Monday afternoon when another vehicle turned in front of her. She was unable to avoid the other car and struck it on the rear passenger side. Her vehicle sustained serious damage and was towed from the scene. The driver of the second vehicle complained of head pain and was evaluated on the scene by Clayton EMS personnel. She stated she would seek any additional treatment on her own.
About an hour later, Officers responded to the 7600 block of Clayton Rd. for a report of a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident. A woman explained she had been stopped in the left-turn lane on S. Hanley Rd. when her vehicle was struck by a black Nissan SUV. The striking vehicle did not stop and was last seen driving eastbound on Clayton Rd. Thankfully, the reporting party was not injured in the collision. The investigation continues.
That evening, Officers responded to a vehicle crash at the intersection of Francis Place and Clayton Rd. According to the man, he was turning right onto Clayton Rd. when his vehicle was struck by a westbound car. The second driver reported that she had been driving westbound on Clayton Rd. when another vehicle suddenly entered her lane from Francis Place, leading to the collision. Both drivers stated they could not avoid the impact, resulting in minor damage to both vehicles. After the collision, both drivers and one passenger complained of head and neck pain, but all refused medical attention at the scene.
On Tuesday evening, Officers were called to the 6400 block of Alamo for a reported theft. A resident said she had received an alert from her home surveillance camera that afternoon. When she reviewed the video, she found an unfamiliar man had taken packages from her porch. He was described as a middle-aged black male with short hair, wearing a black t-shirt. The man was last seen leaving in a white sedan with black hubcaps. The investigation continues.
Later, Officers were alerted that a stolen license plate had passed a Flock camera in our jurisdiction. Shortly after, a CPD officer saw the plate on an SUV heading southbound on I-170. He confirmed it had been reported stolen in St. Louis County and initiated a traffic stop. During the stop, the driver denied knowing the plate was stolen and explained he had gotten it from a coworker in 2025. The plate was seized as evidence, and the driver was issued summonses for Receiving Stolen Property, No Proof of Insurance, and Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Proper Vehicle License Plates. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
While monitoring the Walgreens parking lot late on Tuesday night, a CPD Officer noticed a vehicle with an expired license plate from early 2025. A computer inquiry confirmed it had expired and revealed that it had been registered to a different vehicle. As the Officer continued to monitor, the vehicle exited the parking lot, and the Officer initiated a traffic stop. The driver claimed that a friend had loaned her the license plate to use until she could afford to properly register her vehicle. As he spoke with the woman, he learned she did not have a valid driver’s license. Additionally, she had several active warrants from her arrest through the St. Charles County Police Department and was wanted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) for Robbery 1st degree and Burglary 1st degree. The warrants and wanted entries were confirmed, and the woman was arrested.
During a subsequent search of her vehicle and belongings, Officers found two baggies containing an off-white powder believed to be a controlled substance. They were seized as evidence and will be sent to the St. Louis County Crime Laboratory for analysis. She was issued summonses for Driving with a Revoked Driver’s License, Operating a Motor Vehicle without Proper Vehicle Plates, and Expired Vehicle Plates. She has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court. Pending the lab results, this case will be forwarded to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of charges for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
A woman responded to the CPD on Wednesday morning to report that one of her personal checks had been stolen from the mail. She explained that in late March, she had mailed a check as payment for landscaping services. However, when she received her monthly bank statement, she discovered the check had been altered and made payable to someone she did not know. The forgery was reported to her bank, and she was referred to the United States Postal Inspection Service for further investigation.
On Wednesday evening, Officers responded to CVS for a reported larceny. An employee said she was helping customers at the register when the store’s theft prevention siren sounded. She looked toward the front doors and saw two women running from the store. They were last seen leaving in a gray Ford with out-of-state plates. During an inventory, the employee found that 19 bottles of body wash and 4 bottles of skin care products had been stolen. The investigation is ongoing.
Officers responded Thursday morning to a multi-vehicle crash on the interstate. A man said he was driving southbound when traffic ahead suddenly slowed. Unable to stop, he struck the car in front. His vehicle had heavy front-end damage and was towed. EMS evaluated him for shoulder and neck pain, but he refused further treatment. The second driver reported that the collision pushed his car into the one ahead, damaging both bumpers. He complained of back pain but declined transportation. The third driver reported no injuries. Her car had minor rear bumper damage, and she drove away.
A man contacted the CPD on Thursday night to report someone had left the scene of an accident. He said he parked his vehicle in a metered space in the 7700 block of Bonhomme that afternoon. When he returned late that night, he found fresh damage to his driver's side mirror. Someone had left a note on his windshield. However, he could not reach anyone at the listed phone number. No other suspects or witnesses have been identified. The investigation is ongoing.
Starbucks employees requested assistance Friday morning with a subject refusing to leave. The manager said she asked the woman to leave after a verbal disturbance. When Officers approached her, the woman again refused to leave, became verbally aggressive, and threatened to assault them. She was arrested for Trespassing on Private Property and has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
Later that afternoon, a resident of the Moorlands area was surprised to discover someone had stolen the catalytic converter from his vehicle. He explained that he had parked in front of his home on Thursday afternoon. He found the theft only when his car’s exhaust made an unexpectedly loud noise as he started it on Friday morning. Nearby surveillance cameras showed that just after 2:30 that morning, a silver or light-colored four-door pickup truck, possibly a Ford, stopped in front of the victim’s vehicle. An unknown subject exited the truck with a flashlight and climbed under the victim’s vehicle. No other vehicles were damaged. The investigation continues.
Officers responded to the 100 block of Carondelet Plaza late on Friday night for a report of an assault. A valet reported that he approached a man seated in a vehicle in the valet lane and asked him to move his car. The man, later identified as 32-year-old Charles M. Ware, refused and instead exited his vehicle and physically assaulted the valet by shoving him and threatening to shoot him. The valet dialed 911 for help, and C. Ware drove away.
A CPD Officer spotted Ware’s vehicle driving northbound on I-170, and he initiated a traffic stop. He ordered C. Ware from the vehicle, and he initially complied. However, as the Officer began to place him in handcuffs, C. Ware resisted, pulled away, and began to fight the Officer. As the altercation continued, an Olivette PD Officer arrived on the scene and assisted in gaining control of C. Ware. As they struggled, C. Ware had bitten the CPD Officer multiple times, breaking his skin, and the Officer sustained injuries to his face. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The case was presented to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office, and the following charges were issued:
Count 1: Assault 3rd Degree – Special Victim – Class D Felony
Count 2: Resisting/Interfering with Arrest for a Felony – Class E Felony
Count 3: Assault 4th Degree – Class A Misdemeanor
C. Ware is currently being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
Officers responded to the east end of town on Sunday morning regarding a suspicious vehicle. Witnesses reported an Infiniti SUV had been abandoned in the 6300 block of Northwood Avenue. Upon their arrival, Officers found the vehicle unoccupied with a broken window, a flat tire, and the engine running. A computer inquiry revealed the SUV had been reported as stolen from Normandy on Friday, May 1st. Normandy PD was notified that the vehicle had been recovered in our jurisdiction, and their investigation continues.
That afternoon, Officers responded to the area of Forest Park Parkway and S. Brentwood for a report of property damage. A man explained he had been driving westbound on Forest Park Parkway when a rock damaged his windshield. He explained that he believed the rock had come from the MetroLink platform and provided video from his dash camera as evidence. Officers reviewed the video and observed a juvenile in a red t-shirt and gray shorts throw a large rock from the platform, causing a hole approximately 2 inches in diameter in his windshield. Metro Transit security was notified of the incident, and the investigation is ongoing.
Finally, while on patrol Sunday night, A CPD Officer observed a man entering a building in the 200 block of S. Meramec. The Officer recognized the man as someone who had previously been trespassed from the building, and he confronted him. After confirming the man’s identity, he arrested him for Trespassing on Private Property. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
Anyone with information about these or other investigations is asked to contact the CPD at (314)645-3000. Until next week, stay safe!
