From Monday, May 4th to Sunday, May 10th, your Clayton Police Department (CPD) Officers responded to 440 calls for service, including 25 vehicle crashes and 49 requests for CPD Officers to assist other agencies. Among those calls were the following incidents:
Officers responded to the 7700 block of Forsyth on Monday afternoon after a woman reported that two men were behaving suspiciously and harassing people in a parking garage. The Officers made contact with the men, who claimed they were on their way to court. As they spoke with the men, Officers observed signs of impairment from an unknown substance. Following their roadside investigation, Officers arrested the driver for operating his vehicle while impaired. A search of his person revealed a small plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance inside his jacket pocket. The man later informed officers that the substance was cocaine. The baggie was seized as evidence and will be forwarded to the St. Louis County Crime Laboratory for analysis.
Through further investigation, Officers learned the passenger had provided false identification information. He was subsequently arrested for Giving False Information to the police. A search of his person revealed he had concealed a small plastic baggie of white powdery substance, believed to be a controlled substance, in his pants pocket. While conducting an inventory of the vehicle, Officers found a glass pipe with charring and white residue inside it hidden where he had been seated. Both the pipe and the baggie were seized as evidence and will be forwarded to the Crime Lab for analysis. Pending lab results, this case will be presented to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of charges.
A short time later, Officers responded to Walgreens after witnesses reported a man had exposed himself in the parking lot. Responding Officers located the man inside the store and detained him. He admitted he had exposed himself while he had been seated in his vehicle. However, he stated he had not been aware that anyone had witnessed him. A search of his person revealed he had concealed a baggie of pills in his clothing. When asked what the pills were, he informed the Officers they were ecstasy, a controlled substance. The pills were seized as evidence and forwarded to the St. Louis County Crime Laboratory for analysis. Officers arrested the man for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Felony) and Sexual Misconduct 1st (Misdemeanor). Pending lab results, this case will be forwarded to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges.
That evening, Officers were called to the intersection of Bonhomme and S. Central regarding a vehicle that had left the scene of an accident. A woman explained she had parked her vehicle in a metered spot that afternoon. When she returned Monday evening, she found a note on her windshield stating that a green Lexus SUV had backed into her car. Upon closer inspection, she found fresh damage on her front bumper.
Officers spoke with the witness, who reported the driver of the striking vehicle had not stopped to provide any contact information and had instead driven away northbound on S. Central. The witness found the SUV parked and unoccupied in front of the St. Louis County Courts building and took photos of the vehicle and its license plate. Using the information from the photos, Officers identified the registered owner of the vehicle and contacted her by phone. The woman cooperated with Officers and responded to the CPD, where she was issued a summons for Leaving the Scene of an accident. She has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
On Monday morning, Officers responded to a call about a woman trespassing at a building in the 200 block of S. Brentwood Blvd. Officers warned her they would arrest her if she returned to the property. She stated she understood and left the area. While assisting EMS with an unrelated call on Tuesday morning, one of the Officers saw her return against their advice. He arrested her for Trespassing, and she now has a court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
That afternoon, Officers responded to the 8200 block of Maryland Ave. for a vehicle crash. One driver said she was turning into a parking lot, and the driver of a large vehicle had waved her forward. Traffic in the next lane did not stop, and her vehicle was struck as she turned in front of the truck. The driver of the striking vehicle explained that he was unaware that the driver in the lane next to him had waved the woman across, and that he could not avoid the collision.
Later Tuesday afternoon, a woman reported that she was driving westbound on Clayton Rd. when traffic ahead slowed. As she slowed, her vehicle was struck from behind. The other driver confirmed the sudden slowdown. He tried to brake but could not avoid hitting her vehicle. His car had heavy front-end damage and was towed. All parties refused medical attention.
Straub’s employees requested help Wednesday afternoon when a known shoplifter returned. When officers arrived, they learned the man had stolen three alcohol bottles. The manager chased him from the store, and last saw him leaving in an older silver or gray Dodge Durango. Officers spoke with the vehicle’s registered owner, who provided information about the man’s identity. Officers called him, and he agreed to come to our station to speak with them. However, he denied involvement in the theft. He was issued a summons for the theft and has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
Officers responded to the interstate for a vehicle crash on Wednesday afternoon. One of the drivers explained he had been traveling in the southbound lanes near Forest Park Parkway when traffic came to a complete stop. He stated he had attempted to stop but could not avoid crashing into the vehicle directly in front of him. His vehicle was badly damaged and was later towed from the scene. Neither driver reported any injuries.
Officers stopped a vehicle for driving without any headlights early Thursday morning. As they spoke with the driver, they learned she was wanted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for Assault 4th Degree and Domestic Assault 3rd Degree. The wanted entries were confirmed as active, and she was arrested. She was also issued a summons for her traffic violation and has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
About an hour later, Officers responded to the central business district for a report that someone had rummaged through a vehicle. The reporting party said she parked behind CJ Muggs on Wednesday evening. Later, a co-worker alerted her that they had seen an unknown man sitting in her driver's seat. The stranger had left by the time she returned to her car. She stated nothing appeared to be missing. However, the man left behind a St. Louis County Jail Property bag. Officers searched the area and found the man near Forsyth Blvd. and Jackson Ave., and they took him into custody without incident. The witness identified him as the same man seen inside the victim’s vehicle. The St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the case and issued a warrant for one count of Burglary 2nd Degree - Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. A cash-only bond was set at $25,000.
Officers responded to the 6300 block of Wydown for a report of a crash involving a bicyclist on Friday afternoon. The cyclist explained that he had been riding in the eastbound bike lane when he noticed a vehicle in the adjacent lane had slowed. He stated he had begun to slow down as a precaution when the vehicle made a right turn in front of him. He explained he had attempted to brake but was unable to stop in time and collided with the passenger side of the car’s front bumper. He was treated for abrasions on the scene and reported he was experiencing shoulder pain. He refused medical attention while on the scene and elected to go to a local hospital on his own.
The driver of the vehicle explained he had checked his blind spot before turning to park on the street and had not seen the cyclist approaching. His car sustained damage to the front passenger side mirror, bumper, and wheel well.
A man responded to the CPD later that afternoon to report that someone had stolen his license plate. He explained he had parked his vehicle in the central business district on Thursday morning. When he returned in the afternoon, he discovered his front license plate was missing. No suspects or witnesses have been identified.
On Friday evening, a woman contacted the CPD to report someone had left the scene of an accident. She explained she had parked her vehicle in the 7700 block of Kingsbury on Thursday. When she returned on Friday, she found fresh damage to her driver’s side headlight and bumper. No suspects or witnesses have been identified. The investigation continues.
Officers were called to Straub’s after employees reported a man was shoplifting on Saturday afternoon. While en route to the store, a CPD Officer observed a man matching the thief's description standing at the corner of Forsyth and Maryland. He detained the man while additional Officers confirmed he was the shoplifter. Employees explained that he had carried a bottle of alcohol from the store and had not made any attempts to pay for the merchandise. The man was subsequently arrested for shoplifting and 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!
