ST. LOUIS COUNTY – St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Michael Cole Jr., 21, of the 5300 block of Wells Avenue in St. Louis, Mo., with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Cole is being held on a $200,000 cash-only bond with no 10% option.
The charges stem from an incident on Jan. 19, 2026, involving a Lyft driver who picked up four passengers in St. Louis City and was driven to the 2100 block of Hecht Avenue. According to the probable cause statement, upon arrival, one male passenger bear hugged the driver while another attempted to seize the vehicle keys.
The driver tried to flee but was tripped and assaulted by two male passengers, who kicked him while he was on the ground. During the attack, one of the defendants threw the victim’s phone out of reach. The assailants demanded the vehicle keys before realizing they were still inside…