ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis Circuit Court clerk is now facing criminal charges after police say she fatally struck a man with her vehicle and left the scene of the crash.
Cierra Sherman, 30, is now charged with one count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence. Judge Rochelle Woodiest has ordered Sherman to be held without bond.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Pedestrian fatally struck by unknown vehicle in south St. Louis
Court records show Sherman has no prior convictions.
Circuit Court spokesman Joel Currier confirmed Sherman started on July 10 as a full-time court clerk and had previously worked as a youth specialist for the juvenile division. He was unable to confirm whether Sherman was still employed as a clerk.
Police said security cameras captured portions of the crash, which happened at 5:54 p.m. Dec. 15 near a QuikTrip at the intersection of Gravois and Nebraska avenues, near the intersection of the Tower Grove East, Benton Park West and Fox Park neighborhoods.
The victim, who was identified by the medical examiner's office as 38-year-old Mark Johnson, suffered “massive head trauma,” after he was struck, according to police.
Surveillance cameras did not capture the collision, but the victim’s body was thrown into view of the camera after the impact, according to court documents.
Sherman’s SUV can be seen immediately coming into view of the camera, slowing down and then swerving around the victim’s body, and continuing without stopping, according to court documents.
Police retraced Sherman’s steps using cameras at the Real Time Crime Center, which shows her enter the SUV on the driver’s side of the vehicle five minutes before the crash.
On Dec. 16, a confidential informant told police Sherman’s SUV was parked behind Best Deal Motors. Police found damage consistent with the crash and the license plates had been removed, according to court documents.
On Dec. 17, Sherman turned herself in to police with an attorney stating she was there to discuss the crash. Police did not know the identity of the driver when she arrived at Central Patrol, but she was carrying a distinct purse with her that was seen on the surveillance footage from the incident, according to court documents.
On Dec. 18, police searched the SUV, and found mail addressed to Sherman. Surveillance video from the business where police found the SUV showed Sherman dropping off the vehicle the night of the crash and walking away in the same clothes and with the same purse she had been seen in earlier that night, according to the documents.
