Patrolman Steven Arthur Jarvis

Patrolman Jarvis was assigned to investigate a traffic accident on northbound I-55, on the Meramec River Bridge. One of the vehicles involved in the accident was a stake-bed truck that had spilled part of its load on the roadway, in the curb lane of northbound I-55.

Patrolman Jarvis had parked his patrol car, with it's emergency equipment in operation, approximately 100 feet to the rear of the truck. Jarvis had also placed several road flares to the rear of his patrol car to warn oncoming traffic of the road blockage.

While the truck driver was picking up his spilled load, Jarvis was seated in his patrol car completing some paper work. A northbound tractor trailer truck failed to see the accident scene and struck the rear of Jarvis' police car.

This caused the police cars gas tank to rupture and explode. The police car was pushed approximately eighty feet, almost striking the truck that had been involved in the earlier accident.

Officer Jarvis was killed upon impact.