Police Officer David Lee

David Lee

Police Officer David Lee was struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting at a crash scene on eastbound I-70, just east of the Adelaide Avenue exit, shortly after 8:45 am.

He was setting out flares when an approaching vehicle struck him. The driver was speeding on a wet road when he started to spin and lost control of his car. During the spin, he hit Officer Lee, pinning him between the driver's vehicle and another vehicle before the impact threw him several feet.

Officer Lee was transported to SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.

The 24-year-old driver, who was in the United States illegally and was on probation for a domestic battery conviction, was apprehended. He was charged with the DWI death of a law enforcement officer, exceeding the posted speed limit, and operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license. In 2026, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Officer Lee had served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 18 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.