A Wentzville man is facing criminal charges in Warren County stemming from an incident last year when he allegedly attempted to break into a car right after being dropped off by police, then stole a meal from a nearby Denny’s.
Montrell J. Kirkendall was charged Aug. 5 with second-degree attempted burglary, a felony, and stealing less than $150, a misdemeanor.
On Nov. 25, 2025, Kirkendall was dropped off by Montgomery City police at the Flying J Travel Center located at 24004 W Veterans Memorial Pkwy, near the intersection of Interstate 70 and highways A/B west of Warrenton, according to a probable cause statement.
Shortly afterwards, Kirkendall was seen by a witness and captured on surveillance footage attempting to gain entry to a Dodge Charger that wasn’t his, pulling on the vehicle’s door and trunk handles, according to the statement.
After failing to gain access to the Charger, Kirkendall allegedly went to the nearby Denny’s and ordered a meal costing $23.56, then left without paying for it.
The same day as the incident, Kirkendall was separately charged in St. Charles County with aggravated fleeing a stop or detention, a felony, in connection with a police chase earlier in the day.
That chase began near the intersection of Cimarron Valley Trail and Interstate Drive in Wentzville in the early hours of the morning, with Kirkendall allegedly leading police onto eastbound I-70 before they ended the pursuit.
Police went to Kirkendall’s residence and spoke with his parents, who said the vehicle involved in the chase was his and he should be the sole operator. They additionally told police Kirkendall “had been acting strange for the last few days and stated he got into a motor vehicle accident on I70 a couple days ago.”
Kirkendall pleaded guilty in Montgomery County in March and was sentenced to fines totaling $88 and court costs for operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license and driving without headlights when required, also stemming from events Nov. 25, 2025.
An arrest warrant for Kirkendall, born in 2006, has been issued in connection with his latest Warren County charges, with his bond set at $10,000 cash only. His next court date for his St. Charles County felony case is Aug. 26.
