From Monday, August 10th to Sunday, August 16th, your Clayton Police Department (CPD) Officers responded to 442 calls for service, including 18 vehicle crashes and 53 requests for our Officers to assist other agencies. Among those calls were the following incidents:
Officers responded to Forest Park Parkway for a single-vehicle crash on Monday night. The driver drove off the roadway and struck a guard rail. His vehicle sustained heavy damage and was towed from the scene.
A man reported that he had been driving southbound on I-170 on Tuesday morning when the traffic ahead of him slowed due to heavy congestion. He stated he had attempted to slow but was unable to avoid crashing into the car in front of him. Neither driver was injured in the crash. His vehicle was later towed from the scene.
That afternoon, Officers responded to a local hotel for a disturbance. Staff reported a man had been kicking the guestroom doors while yelling and using profane language in the hallways. Officers found the man walking through the hotel garage and detained him. As they spoke with him, they learned the Berkeley Police Department wanted him for Failure to Obey, Peace Disturbance, and Simple Assault. The warrants were confirmed, and the man was arrested. Additionally, he was issued a summons for Peace Disturbance and warned he would be arrested for trespassing if he returned to the hotel. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
Staff at a local restaurant called for assistance on Wednesday afternoon with a disturbance in progress. The manager explained an unfamiliar man had entered the business and began waving a knife in a threatening manner at the employees. As the man attempted to exit the restaurant, Officers arrested him without further incident. The case has been presented to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of charges for Harassment 1st degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Exhibiting.
A traffic stop in the east end of town early Thursday morning led to the driver’s arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. This was the man’s second alcohol-related offense. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
Later that morning, Officers responded to the interstate for a multi-vehicle crash. A man explained he had been driving in the southbound lanes, approaching the S. Brentwood overpass, when the van in front of him abruptly stopped. He stated he was unable to stop and crashed into the van’s rear bumper. His vehicle was then struck from behind by an SUV. He complained of a headache from the collision but refused medical attention while on scene. His vehicle sustained heavy damage and was later towed from the highway.
The driver of the SUV vehicle complained of neck and leg pain but advised she would seek medical attention on her own. Her vehicle’s airbags deployed during the crash and the SUV was towed from the scene. The driver of the van stated he had not been injured in the collision. His vehicle sustained damage to the rear bumper but was driven from the scene.
A short time later, Officers responded to a local grocer for a shoplifting in progress. The store manager reported a woman had concealed items inside her coat. He stated he recognized the woman from similar incidents in the past. When Officers arrived, they found the manager and the woman standing at the store entrance. The woman admitted she had items in her coat but contended that she had paid for the merchandise. However, her claim could not be confirmed, and she was arrested for petty larceny. She was issued a summons and has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
A woman reported she had been reviewing her financial statements on Thursday afternoon when she discovered one of her checks had been forged. She explained that someone had forged her signature and cashed a check at an unknown location in May. Upon further investigation, she learned the check had been made payable to a former employee at her apartment building. Officers are attempting to locate the man for questioning.
Early Friday morning, Officers discovered a backpack and other items scattered across the yard of a home. Through further investigation, they determined that unknown individuals had been rummaging through unlocked vehicles and garages throughout the neighborhood. One resident reported a laptop and luggage were stolen from his unlocked car. The luggage was recovered, but the laptop is still missing.
Nearby surveillance cameras showed two unknown individuals searching through vehicles with flashlights before riding away on stolen bicycles. Officers learned the bicycles had been stolen from an open garage. One of the bikes was recovered in the neighborhood.
As the Officers continued to search the neighborhood, they spoke with a resident who reported someone had entered their home through an unlocked door overnight and stolen a wallet and two sets of keys before stealing two vehicles from their driveway. Both vehicles were later recovered after being abandoned in Illinois.
Our investigation is ongoing, and we have assigned additional patrols to the area. Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Clayton Police Department at (314) 290-8409.
While no community is immune to crime, there are simple steps we can all take to reduce the opportunity for theft:
• Lock your vehicles and homes, even when they are parked or secured on your property.
• Remove valuables, keys, and key fobs from your vehicles.
• Take garage door remotes out of your vehicles.
Please remain alert and report suspicious activity promptly. If you witness a crime in progress, call 911. For more information about reporting suspicious activity, visit: https://www.claytonmo.gov/.../reporting-suspicious-activity
Later Friday morning, Officers responded to the 7600 block of Forsyth after a vehicle left the scene of an accident. The reporting party explained his vehicle had been parked next to another delivery vehicle at a loading dock. When the other vehicle pulled away from the dock, the vehicle’s lift gate struck his passenger side mirror. The driver did not stop and was last seen driving southbound through the alleyway. Officers are attempting to contact the driver for additional information.
A man stated he had been driving northbound on S. Hanley Rd. on Friday evening when another vehicle suddenly pulled out in front of him from a side street. He was unable to stop and struck the car. He complained of wrist pain and was evaluated by Clayton EMS personnel but refused further medical attention. The other driver stated she had been turning onto southbound Hanley Rd. when her vehicle was struck. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Big Bend and Wydown on Saturday morning. One of the drivers stated she had been driving in the southbound lanes of Big Bend when another car entered the intersection in front of her. She could not avoid the collision and struck the passenger side of the other vehicle. Both drivers and their passengers were evaluated by EMS but refused additional medical treatment. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and were towed from the scene.
Finally, Officers responded to the 100 block of S. Hanley after passersby reported a woman was standing in traffic and causing a disturbance Saturday afternoon. As they spoke with her, they learned the woman had active warrants through our department for Interfering with Traffic and Failure to Obey a Lawful Order. The warrants were confirmed, and they arrested her without further incident. She was later released with 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!
