ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer ran a red light without emergency lights or a siren activated, striking a civilian’s car at an intersection in North St. Louis on April 11, the department confirmed Wednesday in response to questions from 5 On Your Side.
The department’s statement came after KSDK obtained police camera footage of the crash through an open records request. The footage shows the light at Vandeventer and St. Louis avenues had been red for 19 seconds before the officer’s vehicle entered the intersection at full speed and struck the car of James Turman, 65.
“At all times, the safety of St. Louis is our number one priority,” the department said in its statement. “We can confirm a SLMPD officer was involved in an accident at St. Louis Avenue and Vandeventer on April 11. At the time of the accident, the vehicle’s emergency equipment was not activated.”…