Six individuals were hospitalized after a vehicle struck them outside the Ted Drewes Frozen Custard stand on Sunday evening in south St. Louis. The St. Louis Fire Department reported that one person is in critical condition, as cited by FOX 2 Now. As the investigation continues to unfold, the incident draws attention to the ongoing safety concerns in the vicinity of the popular dessert spot.
At around 8 p.m., a car reportedly entered the Ted Drewes parking lot and hit a group of people. The vehicle, according to officials, had no license plate and quickly fled the scene after the collision. "The driver, a 19-year-old man, initially fled and went home, but his family told him to return to the scene," Mitch McCoy, spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, said in a statement obtained by FOX 2 Now. The suspect has since returned and is currently being interviewed by police, as per First Alert 4.
Victims of the incident range in age from 12 to 70 years old, with three people in serious condition and two hospitalized for precautionary reasons, according to the St. Louis Fire Department's post shared by Newsweek. Previous incidents in the Ted Drewes area have raised questions about public safety, most notably the fatal accident involving Matthew Nikolai in July 2022 and a crash into a fire hydrant in October 2024.
The site of these repeated traffic incidents has prompted action in the past, however, many locals believe not enough has been done to ensure pedestrian safety. "This is not the first tragedy to happen outside Ted Drewes," McCoy told FOX 2 Now. Following an October 2024 incident, the city acted quickly to install a protective bollard in front of a damaged fire hydrant.
Authorities are expected to release further details regarding Sunday's incident and potential safety measures on Monday, as Mitch McCoy indicated in a statement to media. As with all ongoing investigations, information will be disclosed publicly as it becomes available.
