ST. LOUIS, MO (June 28, 2024) — Jacob R. Adler, 27, pleaded guilty Friday to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in the death of 17-year-old Matthew Nikolai outside Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in the 6700 block of Chippewa St. on July 29, 2022 in the city’s St. Louis Hills neighborhood. Adler also pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence in the commission of a felony for trying to conceal the damage to his truck resulting from the accident.

In exchange for his guilty pleas, Adler was sentenced to five years for leaving the scene of an accident and four years concurrently for the tampering conviction, pursuant to a state statute that would allow him to serve 120 days “shock time” in the Missouri Department of Corrections separated from the general population. Near the end of the 120-day period, the Department of Corrections will send a report on his behavior to the Court with a recommendation on whether Adler should be released on probation or serve his sentence. Before he was sentenced, Adler expressed his remorse in a courtroom packed with Nikolai’s family and friends.

Nikolai and his family were crossing Chippewa walking toward Ted Drewes at about 8:15 p.m. when Adler, driving his grey 2006 Ford F-150 truck west on Chippewa, struck Nikolai. The impact caused Nikolai to fall into the eastbound lane of Chippewa, where another vehicle struck him. He died of his injuries. Adler left the scene without reporting the accident to police. Two days later, Adler took his truck to a body shop to have the damage repaired, in an attempt to conceal evidence of his crime of leaving the scene.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Circuit Attorney William Green and Chief of Homicide Mary Pat Carl.

“Our hearts go out to the Nikolai family,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “While nothing can remedy the loss of their loved one, we can hold the person responsible for Matthew’s tragic death accountable for his actions.”

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