British ex-girlfriend of US soccer star lost 'most of her ear' and suffered worst pelvic fractures docs had ever seen while being dragged 'three blocks' by car after getting stuck in crossfire of St. Louis gunfight

The British ex-girlfriend of a US soccer star lost most of her ear and suffered 'the worst pelvic fracture' St. Louis doctors have seen after being dragged by a car.

Ellie Bentley, 22, ducked under a vehicle after hearing gunshots in the crime-ridden neighborhood of Grove in St. Louis, Missouri. 

After the gunshots stopped, she stood up and 'locked eyes' with the driver thinking she was safe. However, the driver proceeded to mow her down with his car.

The driver, now identified as 25-year-old Dionte Taylor, dragged Bentley for three blocks - leaving her with life-threatening injuries.

Doctors at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis described Bentley's pelvic fracture as the worst they have ever seen.

Ellie Bentley, 22, ducked under a vehicle after hearing gunshots in the crime-ridden neighborhood of Grove in St. Louis, Missouri

The driver, now identified as 25-year-old Dionte Taylor (pictured), dragged Bentley for three blocks - leaving her with life-threatening injuries

Andre Wilson (pictured), 35, allegedly opened fire on a group when they tried to get into the wrong car. As Bentley ducked for cover, the shooting led another driver to speed off and strike her, leaving her injured in the road 

Her lawyer, Ben Tobin, also said that the 22-year-old lost 'most of her right ear' after the horrific incident. 

'Multiple fractures on her left leg, she has no mobility on her left leg,' Tobin said. 'The people at [the hospital] indicated that this is the worst fracture pelvis they have ever seen.' 

Tobin said her path to recovery will be a long one. 'She had just gotten out of a car when the shooting started,' he explained to The Sun.

'She ducked down behind another vehicle until the shooting stopped, but then the person whose car she was hiding behind floored it, hit her, ran her over, and dragged her for a couple of blocks.' 

Bentley's ex-boyfriend is Indiana Vassilev (pictured) who joined MLS side St. Louis FC. He had previously played with Aston Villa

Tobin said Bentley had no connection to either party involved in the shooting and was simply an unfortunate bystander.

He added that the recent university graduate thought 'she was going to die'.

'For the entire time, she was lying there trying to hold on and do whatever she could so she didn't end up getting kicked out under the wheel,' he said.

Tobin noted how video footage appeared to show the driver who hit Bentley was well aware of her presence when he fled the scene, running her over in the process.

'Based on the video, there's no way for the individual that hit her and ran her over and dragged her to argue that he did not know that she was underneath the vehicle when he took off,' he said.

After the driver ran over Bentley and dragged her down the road, she was left shrieking in pain.

Ellie Bentley, 22, from England was involved in a life-threatening hit-and-run incident in St. Louis, Missouri, after getting caught up in a gun battle in February

The bullets began to fly in the eclectic Grove neighborhood of St. Louis

Ellie Bentley had recently graduated from the University of York with a degree in maths and physics

After the driver ran over Bentley and dragged her down the road, she was left shrieking in pain

'She was laying on the road, screaming for help,' Tobin said. 'The bartenders and staff at the Platypus and performed some life-saving measures on her.' 

A witness to the horror hit-and-run, Mollie Schwein, said she was woken up by screaming in the early hours of the morning from outside her nearby apartment. 

Bentley, who hails from Bingham, east of Nottingham, was left fighting for her life in hospital after suffering the horrific injuries which led to five major reconstructive surgeries.

Investigators initially thought that the shooting incident and the run-down were related, but they have since determined that they were separate events.  

The gunfight allegedly broke out after a man attempted to get into the wrong car, after which Andre Wilson, 35, opened fire, hitting the 25-year-old man in the chest five times, according to his arrest report.

Alleged driver Taylor has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident that caused physical injury, while Wilson was charged a week after the shooting with first degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held without bond. 

After finally regaining consciousness on Saturday following weeks in the ICU, Bentley took to Instagram on Tuesday to tell her supporters, 'I appreciate all the kindness.'

A GoFundMe has since surpassed £35,000 to help her family's mounting medical bills, which the fundraiser said have been 'compounded by Ellie and her family's non-American citizenship.'

Bentley moved to the US last year with her then-boyfriend and football player Indiana Vassilev, who previously played for Aston Villa.

Vassilev, originally from Savannah, Georgia, signed with Villa from in 2020 but only made four appearances with the team after being released on loan to play for Burton Albion and then Cheltenham Town.

Vassilev, originally from Savannah, Georgia, played two seasons with Inter Miami before signing with St. Louis City in 2023

Bentley, who hails from Bingham, east of Nottingham, was left fighting for her life in hospital after suffering the horrific injuries which led to five major reconstructive surgeries

The 22-year-old had moved to the US with her premier league star boyfriend. Although they appear to no longer be together, she remained in St. Louis

'Like most 22-year-olds, I enjoyed dance, going to the gym, and yoga, and devoted two-to-three hours a day to physical fitness. Now I can't move my legs or my right arm,' Bentley said in a statement through her lawyer

He finally made a return to the States in 2021 playing two seasons with Inter Miami before signing with St. Louis City last year.

Bentley, meanwhile, graduated last summer from the University of York with a degree in mathematics and physics.

'Like most 22-year-olds, I enjoyed dance, going to the gym, and yoga, and devoted two-to-three hours a day to physical fitness. Now I can't move my legs or my right arm,' Bentley said in a statement through her lawyer.

Bentley was rushed to hospital having suffered several broken limbs and was placed in intensive care for two weeks, before finally being released on Saturday.

She has since undergone five major reconstructive surgeries and will have additional operations in the near future.

Her family has since traveled from the UK to be by her side as she continues to make a recovery, with a page set up to help pay for mounting medical expenses.