ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. – Tim Lohmar has retired; right in the middle of his current term. The top prosecutor in St. Charles County said Thursday would be his last day on the job. The sudden decision came via written statement, in which the county said it would not take questions.
Lohmar addressed the fact he’s stepping down in the middle of his elected term by saying the often “grueling” job is taking a toll on his family, and his own health and well-being.
Never shy from the camera, Lohmar has had high-profile prosecution successes, including a resolution to the decades-old Angie Housman cold case.
He’s also faced controversies, including a 2019 Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation into a harassment complaint from Judge Erin Burlison. Lohmar apologized for his conduct and the case was dropped.
Lohmar is currently fighting his driver’s license being suspended by the Missouri Department of Revenue following a June 2022 DUI arrest in the Lake of the Ozarks. He has not been charged criminally.
In a statement about his sudden decision, Lohmar wrote, in part: “Today, I am announcing that I am retiring from public office, and I am excited to say that I will be entering the private practice of law. St. Charles County will always be my home, and I look forward to continuing to be a part of serving this community in different ways.”
“The county has some big shoes to fill,” attorney Steve Fleddermann said.
Fleddermann, who has practiced law for four decades in the St. Charles County Courthouse, ranks Lohmar’s 10 years as prosecutor as the best.
“It really is and for us who practice in front of him, it’s a loss because Tim was fair to the defense counsel, while at the same time not losing sight of where his objective is to the public at large – for safety reasons and to the victims of crimes,” he said.
Lohmar served 12 years total at the St. Charles County Courthouse, spending two years as an elected judge before getting the job as prosecuting attorney.
Prosecutor Wesley Bell weighed in from across the river, saying, “Tim informed me of his pending decision several months ago, so this announcement does not come as a surprise to me. During my time as St. Louis County prosecutor, our offices have worked very well together under Tim’s leadership…Tim has been nothing but supportive to myself and our office, and I wish him nothing but the best.”
Right now, we’re told Jenny Bartlett is the acting St. Charles County prosecutor until the the county executive appoints a long-term replacement to finish out the current term.