Overland Policeman Charged After Pushing Man Down Stairs

An Overland officer has been charged with one count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter based on his involvement in a confrontation that left one man dead as a result of being pushed down a flight of stairs. Ken Hamilton, 49, suffered from a head injury after being pushed down a set of stairs on March 20. On March 25, Hamilton died in a St. Louis hospital after spending several days on life support.

The officer, Andrew Thomas Ringeisen, came to Hamilton’s duplex after receiving a road rage complaint citing a vehicle whose description matched Hamilton’s Jeep. Ringeisen and other officers arrived at the 2600 block of West Milton Avenue sometime close to 11 p.m. While the Overland Police Department is not providing details the exact sequence of events, they told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that no guns or Tasers were used during the officer’s interactions with Hamilton.

Hamilton was found by his brother, Joe Hamilton, after he heard noise coming from the staircase. When he arrived at the scene of the accident, Joe Hamilton found his brother laying on the ground and no signs of the officers. The accident is undergoing continued investigation by the St. Louis County Police department at the request of the Overland Police chief.

If have been the victim of wrongful injury or know someone who has been the victim of a wrongful death, WWF&G can help. If someone you know has been a victim of an accident or wrongful death, please contact the law firm of WWF&G at 1-800-WWFGLAW.