Being cited for DWI doesn’t just mean driving under the influence of alcohol. If someone gets behind the wheel after taking illegal or prescription drugs, they can face a DUI charge.
Yahoo! News reports that a Springfield, Missouri man who had been issued a medical marijuana card is now facing felony charges when he struck a pedestrian who later died after the crash.
On Thursday, June 23, 66-year-old David Busick was arrested on the felony charge of DWI resulting in death for his role in a fatal crash on the Chestnut Freeway in Springfield in December 2021.
Documents filed with the court indicate that police officers responding to the scene suspected that Busick was intoxicated at the time because his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his speech was slurred, and he was staggering. A Breathalyzer test, however, showed that there was no alcohol in Busick’s system at the time.
Busick told officers that he had smoked marijuana approximately two hours before the crash. During the crash investigation, officers confirmed that Busick had a medical marijuana card.
A blood test would later reveal that Busick did have THC, the main psychoactive component found in marijuana, in his system. Missouri prosecutors said that while THC was present at the time, driving under the influence of medical marijuana is still legal in the state. Because the crash resulted in a fatality, the DWI charge against Busick was elevated to a Class B felony.
Busick could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the DWI charge resulting in death.