Man enters guilty plea in 2022 hit-and-run near Ted Drewes that killed 17-year-old
As part of his plea deal, Jacob Adler will serve 120 days before a report on his behavior is sent to recommend whether he should be released on probation or serve his sentence.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A 27-year-old pleaded guilty in court Friday for a 2022 fatal hit-and-run that killed a teenager walking to Ted Drewes.
Jacob R. Adler, 27, pleaded guilty Friday to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence. The guilty plea comes in connection with a hit-and-run on July 29, 2022, which resulted in the death of 17-year-old Matthew Nikolai.
According to court documents, on July 29, 2022, at around 8:15 p.m., Nikolai was walking with his family to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in the 6700 block of Chippewa Street. When crossing Chippewa, heading towards the store, Nikolai was hit by a grey 2006 Ford F-150 truck driven by Adler. Adler was driving in the westbound lanes of Chippewa when he hit Nikolai, and the impact caused Nikolai to fall into the eastbound lanes, where another vehicle hit him. Nikolai died from his injuries.
Alderman Joe Vollmer isn’t just a city leader but a friend of Matthew’s family.
“He’s the nicest kid that ever walked the face of the earth,” Alderman Vollmer said. “Always smiling and inquisitive. Somebody you couldn’t wait to see.”
Adler left the scene without reporting the accident to the police. Two days later, he took his truck to a body shop to have the damage repaired and attempted to conceal evidence of the hit-and-run.
“It’s so depressing this would have to occur and for no other reason than someone was being stupid,” Alderman Vollmer said.
In exchange for his guilty pleas, Adler was sentenced to five years for leaving the scene of an accident and four years concurrently for the tampering conviction. A state statute that would allow him to serve 120 days of “shock time” in the Missouri Department of Corrections, separated from the general population. Toward the end of the 120 days, the Department of Corrections will send a report on his behavior to the court to recommend whether Adler should be released on probation or serve his sentence.
“Is it justice,” Alderman Vollmer said. “There’s nothing that can ever make up for what they lost. It’s just closure more of what they’re trying to get.”
Before Adler was sentenced, he expressed his remorse to the courtroom, which had many of Nikolai’s family and friends.
Assistant Circuit Attorney William Green and Chief of Homicide Mary Pat Carl prosecuted the case.
Nearly two years later, there are still no road improvements to slow reckless drivers on Chippewa.
Rebecca Searcy goes to Ted Drewes with her family a few times a year and said because of that accident, they won’t park across the street anymore.
“We’ll make sure we get a spot in the parking lot right next to Ted Drewes or if my husband is driving he will drop us off if we come at a busier time,” Searcy said.
First Alert 4 reported in February there were plans from the city to add a bump out and raise the curb in front of Ted Drewes, eventually even adding a traffic signal.
However, that has not happened yet.
Alderman Tom Oldenburg represents the ward Ted Drewes is in and tell First Alert 4 he wants to take steps to make the road safer.
“The city has done it’s part at this point,” Alderman Oldenburg said. “We have found all of the money. We have done the preliminary designs. At this time it rests with the business to decide if it works with their business plans.”
Ted Drewes tells First Alert 4 they are working with the city on a plan for a crosswalk and expects there will be a meeting sometime soon to finalize the project plan.
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