July 3, 2002 - 11:35pm - Unit #220 assisted a stranded motorist with a flat tire on northbound I-270 at Ladue Rd. The motorist had no jack so 220 let the motorist use his hydraulic jack.

July 6, 2002 - 12:00am - Unit #220 assisted a carload of college students on northbound I-270 just south of Manchester Rd. The driver stated that the car suddenly lost power, and earlier in the day she noticed the low oil light come on in the dashboard. 220 told the driver to pop open the hood release so he could take a look inside the engine. Upon further inspection, the engine block was shattered exposing the piston block and leaking oil onto the pavement. The young college woman called her father and he arrived with 15 minutes. 220 stuck around until the tow truck arrived and notified Des Peres Police of the situation on the highway.

July 9, 2002 - 10:25pm - Unit #220 stopped to check on a vehicle on eastbound I-44 west of Big Bend Blvd in Kirkwood, MO. The vehicle had no hazard lights on but it was occupied by a family from Hazelwood, MO. 220 checked on the occupants and was told by the driver that her husband was on his way down. She asked if 220 would stick around because she was handicapped and was "not too fond of the highway this late at night". 220 stuck around and waited for the woman's husband and left the area about 11:45pm, after he finally arrived.

July 10, 2002 - 12:05am - Unit #220 went to check on three vehicles on southbound I-270 south of Manchester Rd. in Des Peres, MO. Upon arrival, it turned out that two of the three vehicle's occupants were friends of the occupants of the third vehicle. That vehicle turned out to have a blown radiator and needed a tow truck. 220 provided some AAA towing numbers for the driver and waited for the truck to arrive. The driver/owner was from Arizona and had just moved to St. Louis about a week ago.

July 10, 2002 - 3:40pm - Unit #220 was in the area during a brief thunderstorm that caused wind damage in the St. Charles County area. A call came out over his police scanner per a request for shutting down one lane of the highway on Hwy 40/61 near I-70 for removal of an overhead highway sign that was leaning over the overpass (a potential traffic hazard). Before 220 was anywhere near the area, he was assisting the Augusta Fire Department with removing a huge tree on Hwy 94, near the power plant south of Hwy 40 (roughly 8 miles in the opposite direction). Unit 220 responded to the highway sign call because the call was tranferred to the MSHP. 220 arrived on scene and the highway sign was leaning but there was nothing he could do. Wentzville Police were working an overturned vehicle accident on the on-ramp from Hwy 40/61 northbound on to eastbound I-70 (roughly right on top of the area of the leaning sign). A few minutes passed and then a MODOT truck stopped in front of 220's truck. The man was going to drop the sign on the overpass but he needed someone to block the lane when the sign was ready to fall. 220 ran over to the Wentzville Police Car and asked what he should do. The officer responded by saying he would get another car to the area to assist with traffic control and told 220 to standby. A second Wentzville Police car arrived and when the MODOT guy gave the signal, 220 and the officer waved traffic to stop. Both signs dropped to the ground and 220 quickly dragged the pieces off to the side of the highway. The MODOT guy thanked 220 for his assistance and left the scene after a few minutes. The on-ramp from northbound Hwy 40/61 onto eastbound I-70 was reopened within a couple of minutes afterward.

July 11, 2002 - 10:15pm - Unit #220 stopped in front of a vehicle southbound I-170 at Ladue Rd in Ladue. The woman was stopped on the shoulder and for a few minutes and it appeared like the woman was just using her cell phone to make a call. Three minutes later, the woman's car came limping up the shoulder and stopped right behind 220 (it obviously had a flat tire). 220 quickly sized up the situation and changed the tire without a problem. The spare tire was also flat, so 220 used his air compressor to blow-up the tire and got the woman on her way home.

July 11, 2002 - 10:50pm - Unit #220 was passing through Webster Groves when he spotted two vehicles on the onramp from Murdoch Avenue to I-44 westbound, blocking the lane. 220 turned on his lights and went to see what the problem was. The front vehicle had a flat tire on the passenger side, which was close to the curb. The occupants of the second vehicle had stopped to help the woman in the front vehicle by attempting to change the tire on the on-ramp. They couldn't get the tire off because of the way the car was stopped next to the curb. 220 suggested they put the flat tire back on the car and drive the car off the on-ramp and onto the grassy shoulder so he (220) could get change it. The occupants of the second car left after putting the tire back on. 220 got to the car and using his hydraulic jack and 4-way tire iron, he had the tire changed within 15 minutes. The woman thanked 220 for his assistance and "was glad that someone was out to help people in situations like this".

July 11, 2002 - 11:30pm - Unit #220 checked on a vehicle that was losing its load on I-255 eastbound, east of I-55. 220 helped tighten the load for the male driver and left the scene. The man was on his way to central Illinois.

July 12, 2002 - 9:20pm - Unit #220 was on his way to visit a friend at the QuikTrip on Frost Ave. in north STL County, when he spotted a vehicle with its flashers on, on eastbound I-270 near the I-170 exit ramp to go south. 220 turned his lights on and went to check on the driver. The driver appeared to be having a nervous breakdown so 220 offered the driver his cell phone (in case the driver wanted to call someone). The driver made a few phone calls but got no response. Once he got the phone back, 220 offered to call for an ambulance, which the female driver declined but then asked 220 if he would "follow me back to my apartment so I am safe". 220 accepted and they drove about 3 miles down the road. When they reached the apartment, the woman parked her car and walked up to 220's truck. It was then that she informed him "I had once had a nervous breakdown a few years ago, but I'm not sure what had prompted it this time". She gave 220 a five dollar donation and thanked him for following her home.

July 12, 2002 - 10:45pm - Unit #220 helped change a flat tire on a vehicle at I-270 just north of I-44.

July 12, 2002 - 11:50pm - Unit #220 heard a report of a possible DWI driver on I-55 south of Reavis Barracks Road in South STL County. As it turned out, the driver had a diabetic reaction and just needed some medication. Nothing was wrong and no arrests were made. Just to be safe, three lanes were blocked to assist the fire department and ambulance that were on the scene. St. Louis County Police thanked 220 for helping out.

July 13, 2002 - 12:10am - Unit #220 helped change a flat tire for a woman in a Honda Accord on southbound I-270 , south of Highway 21.

July 13, 2002 - 9:30pm - Unit #220 assisted a motorist with a flat tire on southbound I-270 just north of I-44. After talking to the female driver for a minute, 220 put a can of Fix-A-Flat into her tire. The motorist then continued on her way (with 220 behind her) but the tire went flat again. 220 pulled over again and she asked him if he could call a tow truck. 220 called for a tow truck and waited behind her with his lights on until it arrived. While 220 was waiting, unit #65 (with unit 02 riding along) was also on I-270 and stopped to check on 220. 220 advised them of the situation and after talking for a few minutes, 65 and 02 continued on their way.

July 16 ,2002 - 10:00pm - Unit #220 checked on a van with its flashers on, on I-270 northbound just north of Big Bend. The driver used 220's cell phone to call his brother and waited for a tow truck. The two truck didn't arrive until well after 12:00am.

July 18, 2002 - 8:00pm - Unit #02 and #65 stopped to check on a van on the shoulder of westbound I-44 just west of Antire Rd. The female driver told 02 she stopped to make a quick phone call. 02 and 65 decided to wait behind her with their lights on because she was parked along an area of I-44 that experiences alot of accidents (due to the hills and curves). A few minutes later, she finished her call and continued on her way.

July 23, 2002 - 12:00pm - Unit #02 was at a gas station on Bowles Ave. at I-44 filling up his tank. He went inside to pay and the cashier informed him that while he was outside filling up his tank, a man was inside the station demanding money and the cashier gave it to him. Unit #02 knew the cashier and wanted to help so he asked him for a description of the suspect's vehicle. The cashier told him it was a white Durango that just got onto I-44 a few seconds ago. 02 payed for his gas, got into his car, and got onto I-44 to see if he could catch up to the vehicle to get a plate and call the police but the vehicle was long gone by the time he got onto the Interstate. There was a security camera in the store so it is likely the suspect will be caught eventually.

July 23, 2002 - 10:15pm - Unit #220 was headed home from a fellow REACT member's apartment when he spotted three individuals walking southbound in the northbound lanes of I-270, just north of JJ Kelley Memorial Drive in Des Peres, MO. 220 pulled over to the shoulder and spoke with the three that were walking away from a vehicle. As it turned out, the three were walking to a nearby gas station. 220 suggested they head back to their car and wait while he gets some fuel for them. Ten minutes later, 220 returned with the gas and the driver poured it into the tank. The female driver went to start the ignition, and the car sputtered and died. The passenger seemed to know what the problem was and undid the carburetor to "prime the pipes". The man poured a little gasoline on the outside of the air filter and the driver motioned him to pour gasoline on the inside of the carbuerator too. The driver tapped the ignition and flames shot out of the carbuerator almost immediately. 220 ran back to his vehicle and called 911. Five to seven minutes later, two different fire departments responded to the scene (Des Peres & Metro West). The fire was quickly extinguished and 220 was approached by a firefighter and a police officer afterwards for his version of the incident "for the record". 220 left the scene after conferring with a Town & Country officer. Fortunately, the fire was contained to the engine compartment.

July 27, 2002 - 2:00pm - Unit #65 stopped to assist a motorist on northbound I-270 just south of Highway 30. There were two cars on the shoulder and a man was changing a flat tire for a lady when 65 arrived. The female driver told 65 she had a flat tire and the man pulled over to help her change the tire. Since the man already had the flat tire off and was putting the spare tire on, 65 just remained behind them with his lights on until they finished.