ST. LOUIS – Four people are dead after a crash in St. Louis overnight involving two cars.

According to a spokesperson with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the crash happened just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, at the intersection of South Grand Avenue and the Forest Park Parkway, located in Midtown.

Police claim a 2004 Chevy Impala was driving southbound on Grand Avenue, ran a stoplight, went into the northbound lanes, and hit a 2021 Chevy Tahoe in the intersection. The SUV drove off the South Grand overpass onto Forest Park Parkway. The Tahoe landed upside down.

The driver of the Chevy Impala fled the scene.

There were eight people in the Tahoe. One female and three males died in the crash. Three teens—an 18-year-old male, 19-year-old male, and 18-year-old female—were also injured. They were transported to a nearby hospital and said to be in critical condition. The 19-year-old driver was also taken to a hospital in critical condition.

No additional information about the deceased victims has been released.

Latarisha Galvin, a security officer at Saint Louis University, said she sees people speeding and driving recklessly in the area all the time.

“I’ve been working for this university for about six years and I love what I do. I love to work here. I love the people,” she said. “It’s just sad that, that we just have to keep dealing with the same thing. I’ve seen several accidents at this intersection.”

Accident reconstruction crews are investigating.

Mayor Tishaura Jones released the following statement late Sunday afternoon:

St. Louis mourns the loss of four young lives, and we are praying for those still in critical condition following this morning’s horrible crash at Forest Park and South Grand. Traffic violence at this location makes it the most unsafe intersection for pedestrians and cyclists in our entire city. Our office is reaching out to MoDOT regarding proposals to improve this area, and SLMPD continues to deploy a data-driven approach to hold dangerous drivers accountable in high-crash areas. The City is also exploring automated enforcement solutions to discourage dangerous driving.

This week, Mayor Jones will sign into law the largest investment in road and pedestrian safety in the city’s history, calming streets and putting St. Louis on the path to its first mobility and transportation master plan. Tragedies like these remind us that addressing pedestrian safety and dangerous driving requires a true citywide approach.

Statement from the office of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones