Green Tree Elementary briefly went into lockdown Wednesday morning as police searched for a driver who had fled a stolen vehicle near the school during student arrival. The driver was later taken into custody with help from a K9 unit, and no one was hurt, according to officials.
Lake St. Louis Police Chief Chris DiGiuseppi told firstalert4.com that officers received a call about a possible stolen vehicle around 7:45 a.m. along Ronald Reagan Drive. Officers located the vehicle but could not stop it before the driver left, the station reported. The pursuit continued into a subdivision near the elementary school.
DiGiuseppi said the vehicle struck several parked cars in the neighborhood before stopping. The driver then left the vehicle and ran, according to the chief.
School Locked Down During the Search
With a suspect loose near campus during drop-off, police asked Green Tree Elementary to go into lockdown as a precaution while officers combed the area, per the same report from firstalert4.com. Officers said students were placed on lockdown temporarily as the search played out, and DiGiuseppi said the incident occurred during student arrival but that no one was injured. The lockdown was lifted shortly after it began, the station noted.
DiGiuseppi said a police dog helped officers find the driver, who was taken into custody. KSDK reported that the chief said the case would be referred to the St. Charles County prosecuting attorney's office for multiple felony charges related to the stolen vehicle. Firstalert4.com reported that charges had been forwarded to the St. Charles County Prosecutor's Office.
Vehicle thefts in St. Charles County
St. Charles County's 2025 crime data listed 248 motor vehicle thefts countywide, 19% fewer than in 2024, according to St. Charles County. The annual total provides broader context and does not indicate anything about this pursuit.
Police Response
DiGiuseppi said the department's aim is to protect residents and keep them safe from vehicle theft and crime in the city, according to KSDK's reporting. The incident unfolded during morning drop-off, and classes resumed after the lockdown was lifted.
