A St. Louis man who plowed into a cluster of people outside the Ted Drewes on Chippewa Street last December has avoided prison time for now and is walking away with five years of probation instead. Rasool Al Janabi pleaded guilty Monday in connection with the crash that sent multiple people to local hospitals and reignited calls for traffic safety fixes on that stretch of Chippewa. As part of the plea deal, the court suspended the imposition of a prison sentence, which means Al Janabi could end up with no conviction on his record if he successfully completes his supervision.
Court records show Al Janabi admitted to one count of leaving the scene of an accident causing more than $1,000 in property damage, according to KMOV. Charging documents say he drove into metal barriers as he turned into the Ted Drewes parking lot on Dec. 22, 2024, hitting five people, then struck a sixth person while reversing as he left the scene. The injured victims ranged in age from 12 to 82 and included an off-duty officer who suffered a head laceration, a concussion and a fractured leg.
Judge Katherine Fowler accepted the plea agreement and ordered Al Janabi to serve five years of supervised probation, with court paperwork noting he could avoid a criminal conviction if he completes the term without violations, according to FOX 2. Prosecutors had initially hit him with multiple assault counts and several leaving-the-scene charges before negotiating the reduced deal.
Investigators say Al Janabi left the parking lot after the crash but later returned with a family member and was arrested. Police reports state he told officers he "overcorrected" while trying to avoid another vehicle, per Spectrum News. The incident sent six people to the hospital and immediately stirred broader worries about pedestrian safety along Chippewa.
What the Plea Means
The plea functions as a suspended execution of sentence paired with supervised probation, meaning Al Janabi will not go to prison unless he violates his probation conditions. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office called it "the appropriate resolution of this case" and said victims were consulted before the offer was made, according to KMOV.
Safety Changes on Chippewa
The crash refocused attention on a narrow and heavily trafficked stretch of Chippewa near the famous custard stand, and the city has responded with a package of pedestrian upgrades that includes curb bump-outs, a mid-block crosswalk, barrier bollards and brighter lighting, as work around Ted Drewes continues, per pedestrian safety upgrades near Ted Drewes. City officials said they scheduled the construction during Ted Drewes' off-season to limit the disruption for frozen-custard fans.
Victims and Next Steps
The specific terms of Al Janabi's probation and any restitution orders will be locked in through future court filings, and public records will show any conditions tied to his supervision. FOX 2 reported that his attorney, Scott Rosenblum, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
For now, Al Janabi remains under court supervision while neighbors and local leaders keep an eye on both the probation case and the city's new safety measures to see whether they actually change how drivers and pedestrians move along Chippewa. Any future hearings or changes to the agreement will appear on the court docket.
