ST. LOUIS – The grief-stricken father of a Ladue Horton Watkins High School student killed with his two friends says his son was a good kid, and he was just out having fun with his two friends when they all died on the morning of Sept. 6.
The father of Deion Robinson is asking for more transparency from the University City Police Department about its pursuit of the teens moments before they crashed their car into a vacant house and died.
Brandon Robinson said Deion was driving the car, and friends Johnnie Ursery and Demetrius Ingram were along for the ride. All three were 15 years old.
“It’s been a very hard time and we need answers. We need more answers because the video we seen was not all of what was released,” Brandon said.
Investigators said the teens were riding in a 2016 Hyundai Accent that was speeding when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve in the 1000 block of Groby Road in University City and crashed into a home. University City police did not admit they had pursued the vehicle until days later.
“These babies are gone, and they could have been found if the officers were not chasing them. If they would have turned around,” Robinson said. “Because it still seems like you’re in pursuit if you’re still behind them. You turned your lights on, and then you turned them off. It doesn’t seem right.”
Dashcam video from the pursuing officer shows police losing sight of the Hyundai before it crashed.
“We did not see the full video of what had happened. We were shown clips of everything,” Robinson said.
Robinson said surveillance video from a school along Groby Road shows the boys speeding and the police not far behind.
The police timeline is that officers spotted the Hyundai in the 1000 block of North McKnight Road at 2:23:15 a.m., turned on their emergency lights to pursue the car, and then turned their sirens off and slowed down—all within about two minutes. According to University City, the pursuit ended at 2:25:34 a.m. The boys crashed moments later.
However, the crash was initially reported to have occurred sometime after sunrise since police did not receive a call about the crash until 6:30 a.m.
“No car was stolen or anything, because that’s the mother of my kid’s car. We didn’t see police until 7 or 8 that (Wednesday) morning. So, it’s just crazy to me,” Robinson said.
A University City spokesperson sent a statement to FOX 2 on Tuesday afternoon:
In our enduring commitment to respect and transparency, the University City Police Department has prioritized updating the families of the deceased first and foremost during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. As we continue our meticulous investigation, we stand firm in our dedication to providing them, and the community, with accurate and prompt updates.
Mary Goodman, Communications Manager
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the University City Police Department at 314-725-2211 (ext. 8010) or Crime Stoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
