From Monday, August 17th to Sunday, August 23rd, your Clayton Police Department (CPD) Officers responded to 391 calls for service, including 10 vehicle crashes and 47 requests for our Officers to assist other agencies. Among those calls were the following incidents:
Late Tuesday night, Officers responded to the 200 block of S. Central for a disturbance. Staff at a local restaurant reported that an unruly customer was upset about being kicked out of the business and threw a rock at the door. Nothing was damaged, and the staff did not wish to pursue charges. The man has been banned from the property and will be arrested for trespassing if he returns.
Officers were called to a local hotel for a disturbance early Thursday morning. A bartender explained he had requested assistance from hotel security when a male customer became disruptive. When security attempted to prevent the man from reentering the bar, he began yelling and banging on the door. He then assaulted the security guard by punching him in the chest before leaving the scene. Officers found the man standing outside of the hotel and arrested him for Assault 4th degree. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
Later that morning, Officers were called to the 100 block of S. Brentwood Blvd. for a report of a shooting in progress. There, they discovered a 34-year-old man with apparent gunshot wounds. The man was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Through investigation, it was learned a verbal argument between a 29-year-old man and the victim had begun outside of the St. Louis County Courthouse. The altercation continued as both parties entered separate vehicles and traveled to the intersection of S. Brentwood Blvd. and Bonhomme Ave., where the suspect later admitted to firing at the victim’s vehicle. Witnesses identified the man and, with assistance from the Hazelwood Police Department, he was swiftly located and taken into custody without further incident.
The case was presented to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Friday, August 21, and a warrant was issued for one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, a Class C Felony. Additional charges are under consideration. The man remains in custody on a $250,000 cash-only bond.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Clayton Police Department Detective Bureau at (314)290-8416. Any additional information will be shared as it becomes available.
A woman contacted the CPD on Thursday afternoon to report someone had left the scene of an accident. She explained she had parked her vehicle in the 6300 block of S. Rosebury that morning. When she returned Thursday afternoon, she discovered fresh damage to her driver's side-view mirror. No suspects or witnesses have been identified. Investigation continues.
Later that afternoon, a woman reported she had been driving southbound on I-170 when another vehicle suddenly swerved into her lane and struck the driver’s side of her vehicle. The striking vehicle did not stop and was last seen continuing southbound on the interstate. The reporting party’s vehicle is equipped with several surveillance cameras which captured the collision on video. Officers are attempting to contact the vehicle owner for further investigation.
Security staff contacted the CPD after finding an SUV abandoned partially on the sidewalk in the 8000 block of Forsyth on Friday night. Responding Officers observed that the vehicle’s driver-side front wheel was damaged. While reviewing surveillance footage, they discovered the SUV had been parked in a space in front of the building when it was struck by a black pickup truck Friday evening. The force of the collision pushed the SUV onto the sidewalk where it had been found. The driver of the pickup did not stop or leave any contact information. The investigation continues.
Late that night, Officers were called to the intersection of Clayton Rd and Seminary Pl., where a witness reported that a vehicle had been idling for an extended period. Upon their arrival, Officers found a man slumped in the driver’s seat. Despite multiple attempts to wake the man, the driver remained unresponsive. When Officers forced entry into the vehicle to render aid, the man suddenly awoke and accelerated, striking a Richmond Heights Police vehicle that had been parked in front of his SUV. Thankfully, no one was injured in the crash. Both vehicles sustained minor damage.
While on the scene, the man exhibited signs of intoxication and admitted to EMS personnel that he had consumed alcohol prior to our Officers arriving. He was subsequently arrested for Driving While Intoxicated, Resisting Arrest, and Property Damage. Further investigation revealed the man had two prior out-of-state convictions for alcohol related driving offenses. He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court.
A resident contacted the CPD on Saturday morning to request assistance with disposing of a firearm. She explained she was in the process of moving and no longer felt the need to keep the gun. Our Officer seized the firearm and placed it into evidence pending proper disposal. For more information on surrendering unwanted firearms or ammunition, please visit: Firearm Safety and Disposal Information | News | City of Clayton, MO.
While on patrol that afternoon, a CPD Officer observed a vehicle with a temporary Texas license plate. Upon closer inspection, he suspected the plate was fake. Through further investigation, he learned that the license plate information was associated with a vehicle that left the scene of a crash. He initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of S. Brentwood Blvd. and Clayton Rd. The driver claimed the license plate had been attached to the vehicle when he purchased it, and he was unaware it was fake. A computer inquiry revealed the Florissant Police Department actively wanted the man for Stealing a Motor Vehicle. The warrant was confirmed, and the man was arrested without incident. He was issued summonses for Improper Plates and No Insurance and has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court. He was later transported to the St. Louis County Justice Center to await further action by the Florissant Police Department.
Officers returned to the interstate on Saturday evening for a report of a multi-vehicle crash. A woman stated she had been stopped in traffic when she was struck from behind by a sedan. The force of the collision pushed her vehicle into the SUV in front of her. She complained of neck pain from the crash but refused medical attention. Her vehicle sustained damage to the front and rear bumpers but was driven from the scene. Neither of the other drivers was injured in the crash. The driver of the sedan explained he had observed the vehicle stopped ahead of him but was unable to avoid the collision. The driver of the SUV reported he had been stopped at the time of the crash because a pickup truck had stopped in front of him on the highway. He believed the collision had pushed his vehicle into the pickup truck's rear bumper. His passenger confirmed his account of the crash. However, Officers did not observe any damage to the front of his vehicle, and the pickup had left the scene before their arrival.
A traffic stop for an improperly registered vehicle led to the driver’s arrest on Sunday afternoon. As Officers spoke with the man, they learned he did not have a valid driver’s license. Through further investigation, they discovered that our department wanted him for Failure to Register his Vehicle, and that he had felony warrants through the St. Louis County Police Department for Burglary 2nd degree and two counts of Stealing 4th or More Offense. The warrants were confirmed, and the man was arrested.
Related to the traffic stop, he was issued summonses for Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Proper Vehicle License Plates, No State Operator's License, and Violation of Financial Responsibility (no insurance). He has an upcoming court date through the Clayton Municipal Court. He was later transported to the St. Louis County Justice Center to await further action by the St. Louis County Police Department.
Finally, Officers responded to Walgreens late Sunday night after staff reported a man had stolen merchandise from the store. Employees explained that a man had concealed dish soap and detergent in a cloth bag. When the manager confronted the man, he admitted he was stealing and continued to conceal items in his bag. The manager explained that she had attempted to prevent the man from leaving the store, but he pushed past her, causing the door to fall out of its track.
The manager pointed to a vehicle in the parking lot and explained she had seen the man arrive at the store in the car. As a CPD Officer spoke with her, he observed a man walking away from the car and issued a verbal command for the man to stop. The man ignored him and ran eastbound, away from the store. He was found hiding in some nearby shrubbery and taken into custody. A computer inquiry revealed the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department wanted him for Tampering 1st Degree and the Chesterfield Police Department for Stealing. The warrants were confirmed as active.
Regarding our investigation, the stolen merchandise was found inside the vehicle parked in the Walgreens lot. The man was charged with Resisting/Interfering with Arrest for a Felony, Robbery 2nd Degree, and Property Damage 2nd Degree. The case will be forwarded to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for consideration.
Anyone with information about these or other investigations is asked to contact the CPD at (314)645-3000. Until next week, stay safe!
