(Information in this report is gathered from police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or changed as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police

May 12

Thomas R. Fayollat Jr., 55, of Glen Carbon, was arrested shortly after 1:20 a.m. for DUI and failure to signal on North Evergreen Lane at Veterans Parkway. 

May 14

Betsy A. King, 69, of Granite City, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. King was also cited for speeding.

Emergency personnel responded about 4:50 p.m. to a two-vehicle crash with injury in the 1000 block of North Main Street across from the public safety complex for police, fire and EMS. Initial reports are that one person was transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Millstadt Police 

May 5

Police responded shortly after 8:45 p.m. to a domestic disturbance in the 300 block of North Jefferson Street. Upon arrival, the officer found a female had been injured during a domestic battery and the male suspect had already left the scene.  The female was transported via Millstadt EMS for minor injuries. The suspect was taken into custody the following day.  Dustin J. Walker, 33, of St. Louis, was charged with domestic battery.

May 7

Police responded shortly before 7 p.m. to a disturbance in the 200 block of West Washington Street. Due to the details the 911 center received, two Smithton officers and two St. Clair County deputies responded as well.  Millstadt EMS responded for one of the parties involved. Additionally, Columbia EMS responded for another subject not directly involved in the incident. Eric S. Caswell, 36 of Millstadt, was charged with criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. 

May 12

The Millstadt fire and police departments responded about 11 a.m. to a structure fire on Coachlite Drive off Route 158 across from the Millstadt VFW. The Columbia Fire Department was initially paged but quickly disregarded prior to providing assistance.

Missouri Highway Patrol

May 11

A two-vehicle crash occurred about 7:30 p.m. on I-255 eastbound on the Missouri side of the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. The crash report states that a 2024 Volvo semi tractor-trailer driven by Bartlomiet Stanek, 39, of Romeoville, made an unsafe lane change, striking the rear of a 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Tra-Ann Vaughn, 26, of Carbondale. The Mercury skidded off the roadway as a result of the collision, striking a concrete wall before returning to the roadway, where the semi struck the car again on the passenger side. Vaughn was transported by Mehlville EMS to Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County for treatment of injuries classified as minor in the report. A passenger in Vaughn’s vehicle, 18-year-old Elizabeth M. Sciluffo of Johnston City, was transported by Mehlville EMS to Saint Louis University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Monroe County Sheriff 

May 6

Gregory N. Wilson Jr., 36, of St. Louis, was charged with defrauding drug/alcohol screening test following an incident at the Monroe County Courthouse. 

May 7

Dustin W. Qualls, 34, of Waterloo, was arrested in the 100 block of North Nike Street in Hecker on a Monroe County warrant for failure to appear on a DUI charge.

Emergency personnel responded shortly after 5 p.m. to a two-vehicle head-on crash in the area of 2550 Trout Camp Road near Deer Hill Road. Injuries were minor, but three children involved in the crash were evaluated on scene by Monroe County EMS. They were later taken to a hospital by a family member. A 2014 Chevy Sonic driven by Casey J. Blanchard, 33, of Waterloo, was traveling west on Trout Camp Road about a half mile west of Deer Hill Road and a 2013 Buick Regal driven by Toni L. Michels, 55, was traveling east on Deer Hill Road. At a crest in the roadway, both vehicles were over the center median, resulting in a collision. The Chevy spun and came to a rest on the roadway. The Buick ran off the roadway to the right, colliding with landscaping and coming to a rest. All parties refused to be transported from the scene by EMS.

A crash involving a motorcycle and car took place shortly before 5:10 p.m. in the 500 block of D Road near Valmeyer Road. A Baodiao motorcycle driven by Adam L. Griest, 19, of Columbia, was traveling south on D Road just south of Valmeyer Road with a witness traveling directly in front of the bike. A 2021 Honda Pilot driven by Luis P. Palma De Leon, 48, of Columbia, was traveling north on D Road with two passengers. A witness told police the motorcycle veered into the Honda’s lane of travel, resulting in a head-on collision that ejected Griest from his bike. Griest was transported to Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County for treatment of serious lower body injuries. No other occupants required medical transport.

May 11

Emergency personnel responded to a bicycle crash late Saturday morning on Andy Road near HH Road. Police said a male bicyclist apparently suffered a medical condition which led to the crash. The male was not conscious during transport to an area hospital. The sheriff’s department had sought help in identifying the individual, but later announced it was able to confirm the identify of the bicyclist and had been in communication with the family. The man, who was pronounced deceased at the hospital, was identified as Jerome L. Wittenauer, 65, of Waterloo.

Waterloo Police

May 6

Tammy W. Warden, 52, of Waterloo, was issued a city ordinance violation for allegedly allowing her dog to run at large. 

May 8

Clayton R. Craig, 22, of Columbia, was arrested at about 9 p.m. for DUI in the 200 block of South Market Street.

May 9

Police assisted the Waterloo Fire Department in responding shortly before 10 p.m. to Gardner Elementary School for a report of haze in the building and the smell of smoke. Three maintenance workers inside the school were evacuated as a precaution. Waterloo Superintendent of Schools Brian Charron said firefighters found an electric hot water circulation pump that failed and tripped the breaker. “I’m told it was still hot when they found it,” Charron said. This pump delivers hot water to restrooms so students have warm water for handwashing. Charron said that until this pump is replaced, students will only have cold water for handwashing. Waterloo Fire Chief Mike Lloyd said power was shut off to the pump. “We ventilated a couple of hallways and classrooms,” he said. Lloyd stressed that this call “was not related to any previous calls” at Gardner.

Stone H. Whetzel, 18, of Waterloo, was charged with criminal damage to property in connection with an April 9 incident during which he allegedly damaged the spark plugs of a 1998 Ford pickup truck.