A 24-year-old man faces multiple charges, including DWI, after the death of a St. Louis police officer.
Ramon Arnaldo Chavez-Rodriguez, 24, was charged Monday by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. He faces one Class-B felony count of DWI resulting in the death of law enforcement or emergency personnel, a misdemeanor count of speeding by 16-19 miles per hour over the limit, and another misdemeanor for operating a vehicle without a license.
The charges come after the death of Officer David Lee, who was struck and killed on Highway 70 near Grand Avenue on Sunday morning.
According to St. Louis police, Lee was placing traffic cones around 8:30 a.m. when Chavez-Rodriguez allegedly lost control of his 2019 Kia Sorento. The vehicle began to spin and struck Officer Lee with the rear of the vehicle. This impact pinned Lee between two vehicles before he was thrown several feet.
Officer Lee had been responding to an earlier crash involving an off-duty Ferguson firefighter who had wrecked her vehicle. The firefighter used Lee’s radio to call for assistance. Lee was transported to SLU Hospital, where he died during surgery.
Officer Lee, 44, was an 18-year veteran of the police force and is survived by his wife and two children.
Chavez-Rodriguez was taken into custody following the crash and remains held without bond. Authorities reported that he “showed signs of impairment.” A blood test conducted two hours after the incident revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.10, according to the probable cause statement.
Chavez-Rodriguez had previously pled guilty to second-degree domestic assault and DWI in 2020 and was on probation for the domestic assault charge at the time of the crash. The probable cause statement also noted that Chavez-Rodriguez does not have legal status in the United States and did not have a valid driver’s license.
