ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said Wednesday it will not release body camera footage of an officer who crashed a patrol car into a south St. Louis bar early Monday morning. There is also no dashcam footage from the incident.

There are several calls for the video to be released, including Gov. Mike Parson.

What You Need To Know

  • Chad Morris, the co-owner of Bar:PM, an LGBTQIA+ bar on South Broadway, was charged after the crash. A police report states Morris “responded to the scene and became upset over the incident, then began shouting obscenities towards the officers on scene”

  • The police report states that Morris “shoved” the officer in the chest and resisted arrest by the second officer who was in the passenger seat of the vehicle. Morris “was taken to the ground where he disobeyed all verbal commands,” according to the police report

  • Morris’ attorney tweeted about the incident Tuesday, saying there is video that shows police were the aggressors and that his client did nothing wrong

  • The SLMPD says it will not be releasing body camera footage because of the ongoing investigation and that the cruiser did not have a dash camera

Chad Morris, the co-owner of Bar:PM, an LGBTQIA+ bar on South Broadway, was charged after the crash. A police report states Morris “responded to the scene and became upset over the incident, then began shouting obscenities towards the officers on scene.”

Street surveillance footage released by Morris’ attorney shows an SLMPD vehicle driving down Broadway and then breaking before crashing into the bar around 12:30 a.m.

There were two on-duty officers inside the vehicle, both having less than one year’s experience. Their shift was from 3-11 p.m. and were working overtime at the time of the crash, according to police.

A police report states that the officer driving was traveling too close to a parked car and attempted to correct himself, causing him to lose control and crash into the building.

On Wednesday, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Major Renee Kriesmann said the officer “expressed remorse to the owner of the bar” immediately after the crash.

The officer “admits to getting distracted while driving as he was attempting to change his in-car radio,” she said. “This caused the officer to veer too closely to a parked car and while trying to correct himself, he over-corrected and instead, struck the bar.”

The police report states that Morris “shoved” the officer in the chest and resisted arrest by the second officer who was in the passenger seat of the vehicle. Morris “was taken to the ground where he disobeyed all verbal commands,” according to the police report.

Morris’ attorney tweeted about the incident Tuesday, saying there is video that shows police were the aggressors and that his client did nothing wrong. 

While the investigation is still underway, Kriesmann did provide some additional information about the incident during a press briefing Wednesday. 

She explained there were reports about the officer driving at high speeds and computer evidence from the vehicle’s black box showed he was traveling at speeds slightly below 40 mph before the crash and his speed decreased to the low 20s upon impact of the building.

No toxicology report was done because there was no indication or reason for one, according to Kriesmann. 

There were reports of the officers using homophobic slurs and Kreismann said after a review of the body camera footage, there were no homophobic slurs made by the officers. However, she said an officer did use the word “clown” directed at individuals because they were “agitating the situation.”

There were sexual remarks made by another individual at the scene who was not an officer, says Kriesmann.

She added that SLMPD and city partners will be working with Bar:PM owners to restore the property.

“We understand this is a disruptive situation for the owners, but we will still do all that we can to make sure that this resolution is reached,” she said.

The SLMPD says it will not be releasing body camera footage because of the ongoing investigation and that the cruiser did not have a dash camera. 

Gov. Mike Parson, a former sheriff, said he has not been briefed on the incident, but supports the available footage to be released.

“The best thing you could do for all parties, media and everyone else is to be as transparent as you can as quick as you can,” Parson said. “If you have body cam footage, I'm not sure why you wouldn't release it,” remarked Gov. Parson during an event at the West County Mall Wednesday afternoon. 

St. Louis Board of Aldermen president Megan Green also is calling for an immediate release of the body camera footage. She also tweeted that “this incident demonstrates the need for greater oversight of law enforcement — citizen oversight in particular.”

In a tweet on Tuesday, Mayor Tishaura Jones said, “Everybody deserves to feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods and communities. Bar:PM has provided members of LGBTQIA+ community with a gathering place and refuge from a society that continues to marginalize their very existence and incidents like these can break an already fragile trust with law enforcement. This incident is currently under investigation and the officers involved will be held accountable for any and all misconduct committed while on duty.”

The officers involved in the crash have not been put on leave, according to police. 

Court documents on Wednesday state Morris is charged with felony third-degree assault and resisting arrest. Morris’ attorney tweeted Tuesday that the prosecutor will amend the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.