From Monday, June 29th to Sunday, July 5th, your Clayton Police Department (CPD) Officers responded to 409 calls for service, including 14 vehicle crashes and 56 requests for Officers to assist other agencies. Among those calls were the following incidents:
Officers responded to the central business district on Monday afternoon after a witness reported a driver had struck multiple vehicles in a public lot. Responding Officers spoke with the driver, who had remained on the scene. He explained that, as he was backing into a parking space, his gas pedal became stuck, causing him to reverse at a high speed. He stated he could not control the vehicle and had struck a parked car. The impact set off a chain reaction when the vehicle he struck hit a third car, which in turn hit a fourth. He stated that he then pulled forward to attempt to park in another space. However, his gas pedal once again became stuck, causing him to drive over a curb and strike a parking meter, knocking the meter to the ground. Thankfully, none of the other vehicles were occupied, and no one was injured. One of the vehicles was towed from the scene after sustaining heavy damage.
Later that afternoon, a woman contacted the CPD to report a vehicle had left the scene of a crash. She explained she had parked her vehicle on the street in the 6300 block of Southwood on Sunday afternoon. When she returned Monday morning, she discovered fresh damage to the passenger side of her vehicle. A witness had left a note on her windshield stating that they had seen a USPS van leave the scene after hitting the woman’s vehicle on Sunday afternoon. However, the note did not provide a license plate, a description of the driver, or any means of contacting the witness for additional information. The investigation continues.
Security at a local hotel contacted the CPD to report a theft on Monday night. A security officer explained she had arrived at work early that evening. While awaiting the start of her shift, she had been seated at a table in the lobby with her tote bag containing her personal belongings. She explained that she had not yet been on duty when a man entered the lobby with a cooler and asked for a cup of ice. She stated she had left her tote at the table and showed the man to the ice machine. It wasn’t until she went to retrieve something from her bag later that night that she realized someone had taken it. Her belongings were later found after they were abandoned in Forest Park. The investigation continues.
A woman reported that she had been driving westbound on Clayton Rd., approaching the intersection at DeMun, with a yellow light on Tuesday morning. She stated she had originally planned to proceed through the intersection. However, she claimed the light had changed to red, and instead she had stopped. She was struck from behind by another vehicle. She complained of chest pain caused by her seatbelt. Her passenger complained of head pain and stated he had struck his head as a result of the collision. Both individuals were evaluated on the scene by EMS personnel but refused transport for further medical attention.
The second driver explained that she had believed the other vehicle would run the red light. She stated she was unable to avoid the collision when the car abruptly stopped in front of her. She stated she had not been injured in the crash and she refused medical attention. Both vehicles were operable and were driven from the scene.
That afternoon, a woman reported that a company vehicle's license plate had been stolen over the weekend. She explained that the employee had parked the work truck in the parking garage next to a local hotel on Sunday and Monday. She stated that the man did not notice the plate was missing until he returned to his out-of-state home. He then reported the theft to the company. The investigation is ongoing.
A CPD Officer was on patrol in the central business district on Tuesday night when a pedestrian flagged her down. The man reported a child was left unattended in a parked vehicle. Additional Officers responded to assist, and they found a small child secured in a car seat in the back seat of a parked vehicle. The vehicle’s engine was not running, and the windows and doors were locked.
The vehicle owner returned as Officers prepared to force entry into the car. She identified herself as the child’s mother and claimed the child had only been in the vehicle for a short time. However, further investigation revealed the vehicle had been off and unattended for over half an hour. Clayton EMS personnel assessed the child on the scene and determined that further medical treatment was not required. Officers issued the woman a summons for Endangering the Welfare of a Child. She has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
This is an important reminder that the temperature in a parked vehicle can quickly rise to dangerous levels. Children and pets should never be left unattended in a vehicle when the engine is off. We’re grateful to the passerby who recognized a serious situation and quickly stopped our Officer for help. To learn more about how you can help prevent hot car deaths, please visit: https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke.
Officers responded to the interstate for a chain reaction collision on Wednesday morning. A woman reported she had been attempting to merge onto northbound I-170 from Forest Park Parkway when traffic ahead of her stopped abruptly. She explained she quickly stopped but was struck from behind by another vehicle. The force of the collision pushed her vehicle forward, causing her to strike the car ahead, which then struck the car ahead of them. One of the drivers requested EMS personnel evaluate her child on the scene; however, none of the drivers or occupants required additional medical attention. One of the vehicles was towed from the scene.
That afternoon, a man came to the CPD and reported that he wanted to relinquish a firearm for destruction. He explained he no longer had the need or desire to own the rifle. Officers safely took possession of the weapon and secured it in our evidence locker. It will later be properly destroyed. For more information on how to safely dispose of any unwanted firearms or ammunition, please visit: https://www.claytonmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/5760/.
Later that afternoon, Officers responded to the central business district for a reported theft. A man explained his daughter had left her bicycle parked outside of Starbucks while she was inside the store. When she returned a few minutes later, she discovered someone had taken the bike. Nearby surveillance cameras captured the theft. They showed a Hispanic man in a dark t-shirt and blue jeans riding the bicycle away from the store. The reporting party stated he had observed the same man riding his daughter’s bicycle into Shaw Park via the Greenway Trail. Additionally, a Clayton Public Works employee recalled seeing the man riding the bicycle into the Clayshire Tunnel from Shaw Park. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the man or the bicycle. The investigation continues.
A resident of the Moorlands neighborhood contacted the CPD on Thursday afternoon to report that someone had stolen a package from his apartment building. He explained that he received a confirmation alert that his package had been delivered to the front hall of his building on Tuesday. However, the package was not there when he returned home. The investigation continues.
On Friday morning, a woman reported her family had been threatened at the St. Louis County Court building where they had attended a bond hearing. To minimize tensions among the attendees, the bailiff first dismissed the defendant’s family members. She explained that as they were leaving the courtroom, one of the defendant’s relatives had glared towards her and her son and threatened to harm them. The investigation continues as Officers attempt to locate the individual and any potential witnesses.
Officers responded to a local branch on Friday afternoon to investigate a fraud case. A teller explained that a woman had entered the bank that morning and requested a withdrawal from her account. The woman provided a Missouri Identification card with information matching the account and claimed she was withdrawing the funds to purchase a vehicle. The teller completed the transaction, and the woman left the bank without any issues. However, the account owner contacted the bank’s customer service division by phone Friday afternoon and reported that she had not authorized the transaction and had not visited the Clayton branch that morning. Officers spoke with the account holder by phone and learned she had been out of state for weeks and was unsure when or how her account information had been compromised. The investigation continues.
Finally, our Officers joined residents in the Hillcrest, Claverach Park, Wydown Forest, and Davis Place neighborhoods as they kicked off the holiday with their annual bicycle parades on Saturday morning. We enjoyed the chance to connect and truly appreciate being a part of your celebrations. We hope you all enjoyed a safe and happy Independence Day!
Anyone with information about these or other investigations is asked to contact the CPD at (314)645-3000. Until next week, stay safe!
