JENNINGS, Mo. — A single-car crash in north St. Louis County left one person dead early Tuesday morning.
According to the St. Louis County Police Department, officers noticed a car driving erattically on Jennings Station Road near Hord Avenue just after midnight. When officers tried to pull the car over, the driver sped away, swerving between lanes and running a red light.
Police said the officers stopped the chase, and about a minute later, the driver crashed the car, which rolled once, landed upright and caught on fire.
Police initially said the officer "observed" the crash and did not mention a chase.
One of the vehicle's occupants, a man, was taken to an area hospital for treatment but later died due to injuries sustained in the crash, police said. He was identified on July 10 as 23-year-old Ismael Medina.
Police said the driver and another passenger in the vehicle were uninjured.
The man accused of driving the car, 23-year-old Yastrenkis Agala, was charged Tuesday with DWI and resisting arrest. In the probable cause statement, police noticed Agala had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol after the crash. They also noticed an opened beer bottle fell out of the car after the crash an multiple unopened beers were still inside.
After Agala was read his Miranda rights, police asked him how many drinks he had that day, to which he responded "6 or 8 or 12, I don't know."
The investigation was ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding the crash was asked to contact St. Louis County police at 636-529-8210. To remain anonymous, contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).
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