Staff Contributor
Author: Sam Clancy
Published: 11:02 AM CDT October 28, 2026
Updated: 6:13 PM CDT October 28, 2026
ST. LOUIS — The owners of a South St. Louis bar who were handcuffed and arrested after a police vehicle crashed into their building agreed to a $4.2 million settlement during the second day of a civil trial on Wednesday.
Bar:PM owner James Pence filed a lawsuit against the police department and city in connection with the Dec. 18, 2023, crash and his subsequent handcuffing. During the second day of the trial, Pence’s attorney, Javad Khazaeli, announced the two sides had reached a settlement agreement.
Shortly after the announcement, the jury was called back into the courthouse and told the trial was over.
After conflicting reports, police said another officer was distracted by using his police radio while driving. Surveillance video showed a police SUV driving at high speed and running stoplights before losing control and crashing into the building.
Within minutes of the crash, Pence had been handcuffed; Chad Morris, his partner, was arrested and later charged with a misdemeanor after an alleged physical altercation with one of the responding officers. Charges against Morris were dropped 22 months later.
Morris had a pending lawsuit in connection with the crash, but Khazaeli said the settlement agreement was with both Pence and Morris.
In a press conference, Pence said the settlement put an end to a long, difficult process.
“They tried their hardest to hide evidence and hold it over [Morris’] head for as long as they possibly could,” Pence said of the case against him and his husband.
Khazaeli said the turning point in the case came on Tuesday when the officer who arrested Morris, Ramelle Wallace, testified in court.
