ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The suspect in Wednesday morning’s violent crash that sent five police officers and a K-9 to hospitals had an arrest warrant and a hold on his license for prior allegations of driving with drugs in his car. 

FOX 2 News spoke with the suspect’s sister, who told us her brother would never hurt someone maliciously, but she says they have law enforcement in their family, and she believes he needs to pay the consequences for his actions.

Matthew C. Jones, 31, stands charged with, among other things, felony DWI, physical injury to law enforcement, and child endangerment related to the March 29 crash. He was not even supposed to be in St. Louis County to cause the crash, his sister told us.

Five officers were reportedly hit at about 1:42 a.m. while working a St. Charles County stolen car task force case, that ended up near Interstate 70 and Highway 141. Jones’ sister said her brother called with the shocking news about what he’d done – that he’d missed his exit to get onto St. Charles Main Street and instead plowed into a pile of cars and people on the other side of the bridge.

FOX 2 found Jones was not even supposed to be driving after incidents including an April 2022 alleged speeding in a construction zone that led to Jones’ failure to appear in court, and a January 2023 arrest warrant and hold on his driver’s license.

In August 2022, police stopped Jones at I-70 and Bryan and reported finding marijuana in his car, along with a scale and other drug tools. The court record said Jones reportedly resisted arrest and told police, “I have a gun in my pocket, too, so don’t shoot me.” An arrest warrant also shows up on that case.

The suspect’s sister, who was still shaken by the news, said she remained in disbelief. She said her niece suffered little more than bruising in the crash and was potentially saved by a car seat. She added that her heart goes out to the officers struck and the K-9, all who were taken to hospitals with moderate to severe injuries.