On September 9, 1989, Officer Michael McNew was struck by a vehicle that was fleeing other officers.

On September 9th, David Gary had assaulted his wife then escorted her to the hospital. At the hospital Gary created a disturbance and scuffled with a hospital security guard then left the hospital. A complaint was filed against Gary. Officers located him in a vehicle and attempted to stop him. He accelerated continuing east on Manchester and forced another police vehicle off of the road. Officer McNew following the radio traffic pulled into the intersection of 7th and Russell with his overhead lights on. Gary's vehicle was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour when his vehicle broadsided McNew's squad car. Both vehicles burst into flames with the force of the impact nearly welding the vehicles together. Other officers pulled both Officer McNew and Gary from the wreckage. Officer McNew succumbed to his wounds at the scene but Gary recovered. Gary was convicted of First Degree Murder. In the history of the St Louis Police Department he was the first officer to be killed by being deliberately run down by a vehicle.

Officer McNew was assigned to the 3rd District and had been with the agency for 16 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.