Officer severely burned when suspect threw Molotov cocktail

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    STE. GENEVIEVE, Missouri (KMOV) — An officer was injured after a suspect threw a lit Molotov cocktail in Ste. Genevieve overnight.

Police Chief Eric Bennett told News 4 Officer Pete Unverferth, 36, responded to the St. Jude subdivision around 1 a.m. after a neighbor had called 911 to report someone revving the engine of a motorcycle.

When Officer Unverferth arrived, he approached the driveway of a home. A suspect then came from behind the home holding a lit Molotov cocktail. Bennett said the officer drew his taser and gave the suspect commands to empty his hands and drop the Molotov cocktail.

Bennett said a quick altercation ensued and the officer deployed his taser and the suspect threw the Molotov cocktail at the officer, hitting him the arm. Bennett said the officer did the “stop, drop and roll” to put the fire out. He suffered extensive burns to his arms and legs.

The officer was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, but he will require surgery, according to police.

Officer Unverferth is a 13-year law enforcement veteran, spending the last nine years with the Ste. Genevieve Police Department. He previously worked within the department’s DARE program.

A suspect was taken into custody following the incident. Bennett said the suspect had become recently familiar to police, with a similar peace disturbance call a few days before. He is expected to be charged today. His identity has not been released.

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