Detective Antonio Antoine Valentine, Sr.

Antonio Antoine Valentine, Sr.

Detective Tony Valentine was killed in a vehicle crash near the intersection of Chambers Road and Crete Drive, in Bellefontaine Neighbors, at about 3:00 pm.

He and his partner were responding to assist fellow narcotics unit detectives when a suspect fled from them. The fleeing suspect crashed into Detective Valentine's vehicle head-on at a high rate of speed. Detective Valintine and his partner were transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where Detective Valentine succumbed to his injuries.

The suspect driving the other vehicle, who had a violent criminal history, was also killed in the crash.

Detective Valentine was a United States Army combat veteran and had retired from the Air Force Reserves. He had served with the St. Louis County Police Department for 14 years. He is survived by his four children.

Detective Valentine's uncle is a police officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

The Telegraph Road bridge over the Meramec River is named the “Detective Antonio Valentine Memorial Bridge.”