St. Louis County Cab Driver’s Shooter Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri Byline: Robert Patrick Dateline: St. Louis, Missouri Date: 16 May 2024 Subjects: American Government , Crime, Taxicabs & Limousines Topic: Dewight Price

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man who fatally shot a cab driver in Hazelwood, Missouri in 2022 to 22 years in prison. 

Trishawn Jones, 20, was one of four teens involved in the robbery of Dewight Price, 54, on April 24, 2022. All four pleaded guilty and two await sentencing. Coron Dees, 20, and Jeremiah Allen, 20, pleaded guilty to a robbery charge. Jones and Tywon Harris, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting in the commission of a murder. Judge Autrey sentenced Dees to 17 years in prison in April. 

After leaving a party in downtown St. Louis, the four teens stopped at a downtown gas station and called for a cab at 5:23 a.m. They planned to take the taxi to a fake address near Allen’s home, then run away without paying. After learning that they would have to prepay, they began discussing plans to rob Price.

They told Price to drive to Hazelwood Central High School, thinking there would be no witnesses there at that time.  Dees and Jones then robbed Price at gunpoint. Price begged the teens not to shoot. After Price handed cash to Jones, Price grabbed a firearm he kept in his door. Allen warned the others that Price had a gun.  

Price began to get out of the cab, but Harris opened his door, knocking Price to the ground. Jones saw Price’s gun and fired once, striking Price in the torso. The teens then ran away without rendering aid to Price or calling for help.

In a letter to Judge Autrey, one of Price’s daughters wrote that her father “was the happiest joyful person just trying to get his customers to their destinations safely and satisfied.”

The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel is prosecuting the case.

Robert Patrick, Public Affairs Officer, robert.patrick@usdoj.gov.

Updated July 18, 2024