Lance Jeffries returned home from the hospital with a police escort as the criminal cases against four defendants continued.
JENNINGS, Mo. — A 63-year-old retired truck driver who was hospitalized after authorities say he was beaten and robbed following a minor traffic crash has returned home, while four people charged in the attack remained in custody as their cases moved through St. Louis County court.
Lance Jeffries was released from the hospital Wednesday, Sept. 30, and was welcomed home with an escort involving officers from eight St. Louis-area police departments, according to First Alert 4. The homecoming came 11 days after a Sept. 19 crash near Jennings Station Road and Shannon Avenue that investigators say escalated into an assault and robbery. Davion Alfred, 30; Martinez Logan, 25; Mary Moore, 26; and Tamara Logan, 48, have each been charged with second-degree robbery, third-degree assault involving a special victim and second-degree burglary involving unlawful entry into a motor vehicle.
St. Louis County police said the crash happened about 4:45 p.m. Sept. 19 as Alfred, Moore and Martinez Logan were inside a 2013 Ford Escape traveling north on Jennings Station Road and waiting to turn left onto Shannon Avenue. Jeffries was driving a 2025 Chrysler Caravan in the same direction when his vehicle struck the rear of the Escape. Authorities said Jeffries stopped, got out of his vehicle and went to check on the occupants of the other vehicle. Tamara Logan arrived shortly after the collision.
According to probable cause statements released by police, Alfred approached Jeffries and punched him in the head, causing him to fall. Investigators allege that the defendants then punched, kicked, stomped and dragged Jeffries as he was on the ground. Police said Jeffries lost consciousness during the attack. A bystander recorded part of the encounter, and investigators later used the recording as evidence while identifying people involved in the case.
Authorities allege Alfred took Jeffries’ car keys and wallet and that members of the group entered his Chrysler and searched through it. Police said bags containing items intended for donation to Goodwill were removed from the vehicle. Jeffries’ keys and wallet were later found on the vehicle along with his cellphone, according to police. Investigators said Jeffries reported that $100 was missing from the wallet.
When officers first arrived, Jeffries was unable to speak and was taken to a hospital, police said. Authorities initially responded to the scene as a traffic crash. According to the probable cause statements, the defendants told police that Jeffries had been drinking, while neither they nor bystanders initially told responding officers about an assault. Jeffries’ family later reported the alleged attack from the hospital, and officers received an assault report shortly after 10 p.m. that night.
Detectives identified Alfred and Moore through information in the initial crash report, according to police. Investigators said a bystander’s video, tips and social media posts helped them identify Tamara Logan and Martinez Logan. Police arrested all four Sept. 23. Prosecutors announced charges the following day and initially set each defendant’s bond at $250,000 cash only.
Police said the defendants made statements to investigators after their arrests. According to the department, Alfred admitted punching Jeffries first, taking his keys, going through his wallet and entering his vehicle. Moore admitted kicking Jeffries while he was on the ground, police said. Investigators said Martinez Logan admitted kicking Jeffries and dragging him toward the curb, while Tamara Logan admitted stomping on his legs. Those statements are allegations contained in the criminal case and have not been tested at trial.
Jeffries’ family identified him publicly as a 63-year-old retired truck driver. St. Louis County police records contain an age discrepancy: an earlier police release described the victim as 63, while the later probable cause statements listed him as 62. The Daily Horn headline described him as 68, but that age is not supported by the police release or established local reporting reviewed for this story.
First Alert 4 reported that Jeffries spent several days hospitalized before returning home Sept. 30. His daughter, Valancia Jeffries, had previously described injuries to his face, neck and jaw and said he was in significant pain following the attack. Video of his release showed Jeffries walking with a cane as law enforcement officers participated in his escort home.
The four defendants appeared in court Thursday, Oct. 1, according to KSDK, which reported that all four remained jailed after the hearing. St. Louis County Police Department detectives assigned to the City of Jennings Precinct are leading the investigation. The charges are accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Author note: Last updated October 1, 2026.