ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Louis man who allegedly drove a stolen car into a police officer and narrowly missed another on Wednesday now faces criminal charges.
According to court documents, police officers saw a 2023 Audi Q5 that matched the description of a stolen vehicle at the AutoZone at 8990 Jennings Station Road. Several officers set up surveillance while a marked police car tried to stop the vehicle in the parking lot. That's when the alleged driver, 31-year-old Dave Hall Jr., drove the car away to escape the police.
Police successfully used a tire deflation device in the lot, but the vehicle continued to escape. A detective tried to deploy a second deflation device in the adjacent parking lot, at the Walgreens at Halls Ferry and Jennings Station Roads.
"The vehicle, being operated by the defendant, abruptly changed direction and proceeded directly towards [the detective], striking him," police said in a Friday release. "The vehicle continued to flee on Halls Ferry at a high-rate of speed, weaving in and out of traffic, driving into on-coming traffic nearly striking several other vehicles while attempting to evade police."
The detective was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening.
The car eventually stopped near Hall Street and Riverview Drive, less than 2 miles from where the chase began. A police officer pursuing the vehicle left his marked police car and approached the stolen car. The suspect put the car in reverse and drove directly at the officer, narrowly missing him.
The car fled again, driving north on Riverview Drive. The car eventually stopped working near 9250 Riverview Dr.
Two other detectives approached the vehicle and tried to arrest the suspect, but Hall ignored verbal commands and physically resisted arrest, pulling away and kicking the detectives.
Police said Hall was driving a car that was stolen from Woodson Terrace on May 30.
"Further," police said in the release, "the defendant has an extensive criminal history including convictions for Tampering 1st Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Felony Resisting Arrest, Resisting Arrest by Fleeing- Creating a Substantial Risk of Serious Injury/Death, Possession of Controlled Substance (2), and Unlawful Use of a Weapon."
Hall was charged with one count of tampering with a motor vehicle and two counts each of assault of a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action and resisting arrest. He is being held on a $500,000, cash-only bond.
