Principal Warns Parents After Suspicious Vehicle Incident

The principal of emailed parents a list of safety tips after an incident involving a suspicious vehicle and a student who was bicycling home from school.

On Tuesday, shortly after 4 p.m., a student who was bicycling home from school saw a vehicle travelling east on East Argonne Drive approach the intersection of East Argonne Drive and Fillmore Avenue, according to a statement from the released Thursday.

The car entered the intersection and the driver, described as a white male 30 to 35 years of age, held his cell phone out of the car window and appeared to be taking a photograph or video of the student. The student rode away and the vehicle continued eastbound at what the student described as a high rate of speed, the statement says. There was no contact between the driver and student.

The vehicle is described as an older model, full sized dark blue foor door sedan. Kirkwood police are investigating the incident.

"This student followed proper safety procedures by notifying adults of odd or inappropriate behavior," Principal Tim Cochran says in the email to parents.

The email lists the following safety tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children:

• Travel with a friend, or better yet, a group of friends when riding your bike or walking to or from school or other destinations.
• If a stranger offers you a ride somewhere, say no, and run away. Adults should define "stranger" and give safety tip examples to help youth, especially young ones, know what you mean.
• If someone follows you on foot, get away as quickly as you can. Go to someone's house you know, or run to other people, or just run away.
• If someone is following you in a car, turn around and go in the opposite direction or take a path where a car would not go.
• Never leave school or any other extracurricular activity or event with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable. Moms or dads should tell their youngster that it is okay in these circumstances to not ride home, but that also means adults should have an established communications method along with these safety tip guidelines so that the kid does not end up stranded or alone.
• If a stranger tells you that there is an emergency or that a family member is hurt or that a pet has been in an accident, always check with your mom or dad or other trusted adults. This is a common trick used by many molesters or kidnappers.

The is asking anyone with relevant information about the incident to call Detective Geoff Morrison at 314-822-5877.