ST. LOUIS — Nearly a dozen volunteers helped to clean up a St. Louis bar Monday after a police cruiser crashed into it earlier that day.
Zach Gandy said the employees of BAR:PM called him early Monday morning to tell him the news. He brought both tools and volunteers.
"It was an immediate ... I got to get there now, there is something I can do," Gandy said.
Zach Gandy said the employees of BAR:PM called him to tell him the news. He brought both tools and volunteers.
Employees of the bar said the bar just celebrated its 9th anniversary of operating in south St. Louis. They said the bar is a safe space for the LGBTQ community.
"Right now, we're getting things back to where they can open again," Gandy said.
BAR:PM said it's closed for the day and doesn't have a timeline for reopening.
Gandy said his organization, the Rudis Leather Society, frequents the bar often.
Police said at about 12:30 a.m. an officer was heading too close to a parked car and tried to correct himself, but lost control of the cruiser, crashing into BAR:PM.
Chad Morris and James Pence are the married co-owners of the bar who live above it.
Police said one of the owners came outside and cursed at officers. When another officer tried to calm things down, police said Morris shoved the officer in the chest.
"I jumped up thinking it was an accident with a vehicle. I seen it was an SLMPD vehicle in the front of our building," Pence said.
Pence told a different story.
He said he was put in handcuffs first for refusing to give his ID.
After that, Pence said the police officers made a homophobic remark to his husband.
"I came out and my husband came out as well and there was a cop that made a very homophobic remark. My husband did put his hand on a cop out of defense because they had already put me in handcuffs because I wanted to know what was going on. I was told I had to ID or shut up," Pence said.
During a Monday press conference, Mayor Tishaura Jones commented on the crash.
"That's still under investigation," Jones said.
Gandy said helping is the least he can do.
"Anytime somebody is in trouble and you know you can help them. You do everything in your power to get them back up and running. That's just what this community does," Gandy said.
Morris is charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He does not appear to be currently in custody. But when he is, he will be held without bond, according to court documents.
5 On Your Side asked police to respond to the accusations that an officer used a homophobic slur, but they have not responded as of Monday evening.