St. Louis Man Accused of Stealing Phone From Dying Jogger

St. Louis police say they've arrested the man caught on video stealing a cell phone from a dying jogger.

Brian Davenport, 35, of the Patch neighborhood has been charged with a felony count of stealing.

On October 18, surveillance cameras filmed 64-year-old Jacquelyn "Jackie" Olden collapse on a sidewalk while on a run near Anheuser-Busch Brewery in the 1200 block of Lynch Street. She tried to get up and use her phone but fell again, according to court records. While she is unconscious on the ground, a red minivan is seen driving past before it makes a U-turn and parks along the curb. The driver — a man in a black jacket — gets out and walks back and forth in a half circle around Olden.

He eventually leans in and plucks her phone off the ground, goes back to the minivan and drives off, leaving her alone on the sidewalk. Someone eventually called for help, and Olden was taken by ambulance to a hospital but was pronounced dead.


The seeming callousness of the act outraged St. Louis, but the thief was at first a mystery. Police now say they traced the minivan to Davenport and he admitted to being in possession of the stolen phone. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office issued charges today and he was booked into the St. Louis Justice Center.

Olden was an Air Force vet, who worked as a kitchen assistant at Rossman School for seven years before retiring in May. She had recently visited the elementary school to be honored for her service.

"For seven years, her bright smile and positive spirit were an encouragement to all who entered the Dining Room, and she modeled strength of character and bravery to our students when she shared stories of her service in the Air Force during last year’s Veterans Day assembly," the school posted on Facebook. "Mrs. Olden was a true role model, a dear friend and an esteemed colleague. She will be missed tremendously."

Correction: The date of the incident was incorrect in the original version of this story. We regret the error.

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