Updated on Friday with defendant being released on bond.Â
ST. LOUIS — A ºüÀêÊÓƵ County man was charged this week by the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Circuit Attorney’s Office after authorities say he fatally ran over a teen in July and kept driving.
Jacob Adler, 25, was charged Wednesday with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.
On July 29, Matthew Nikolai, 17, was crossing Chippewa Street, walking toward Ted Drewes, when he was struck by Adler, who was driving a Ford pickup truck, police say.
Authorities say Nikolai then tumbled into the eastbound lane, where he was hit again by a car. The woman driving that car stopped and cooperated with police.
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Surveillance footage shortly after the incident shows a man authorities say was Adler parking his truck a block away and walking back to the scene where the teen was lying, court documents state. Adler then went back to his truck and drove away, a detective wrote.
Nikolai, who was a rising senior at Christian Brothers College High School, later died at a hospital.
Court documents also say Adler took his truck to an auto repair shop the next day. Two days later on Aug. 1, Adler called the shop to ask about the cost of the repairs. On Aug. 3, the manager of the auto shop recognized Adler’s vehicle from the police’s Facebook account, and called in to police. No repairs were done, and police came to seize the truck as part of the investigation.
On Aug. 5, an attorney stating he was representing Adler called police to inquire about Adler’s truck being towed and told police Adler would turn himself in on Aug. 8, which he did.
Police released Adler in August after arresting him because the Circuit Attorney’s Office said it needed more information.
A judge denied bond for Adler after issuing him a warrant on Wednesday, and police did not immediately confirm if Adler was in custody. Adler’s attorney stated on Wednesday that he would not comment on his client’s case.
However, Adler was released from custody after posting a $2,500 bond. His next court date is set for Oct. 17.