ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Michael Cole Jr., 21, of the 5300 block of Wells Avenue in St. Louis, Mo., with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Cole is being held on a $200,000 cash-only bond with no 10% option.
The charges stem from an incident on Jan. 19, 2026, involving a Lyft driver who picked up four passengers in St. Louis City and was driven to the 2100 block of Hecht Avenue. According to the probable cause statement, upon arrival, one male passenger bear hugged the driver while another attempted to seize the vehicle keys.
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The driver tried to flee but was tripped and assaulted by two male passengers, who kicked him while he was on the ground. During the attack, one of the defendants threw the victim’s phone out of reach. The assailants demanded the vehicle keys before realizing they were still inside.
The victim was pistol-whipped in the head, sustaining a knot, a busted lip, and a scraped knee, as observed by responding officers. Following the assault, two male defendants fled in the victim’s vehicle, heading southbound on Halls Ferry. The victim later flagged down another ride-share driver for assistance.
A Special Response Unit spotted the stolen vehicle being driven erratically and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle lost control and collided with an Ameren utility pole. The driver fled on foot, while Cole exited the vehicle and informed officers he had a firearm in his bag. Officers recovered a loaded Glock 17 handgun from Cole.
Cole waived his Miranda rights and admitted to standing outside the vehicle with the firearm while another defendant wrestled the victim and placed him in a chokehold.
The St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons is leading the investigation.
Charges are accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
