A head-on crash on East St. Charles Road near the entrance to Lake of the Woods Golf Course left two people with serious injuries last week, and the driver suspected of causing it has been cited rather than arrested because deputies say they could not physically take him into custody. Investigators believe Melvin Warrick was speeding when his vehicle crossed the centerline and struck an oncoming car head-on.
The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 on East St. Charles Road at Demaret Drive, according to KOMU. The outlet reported that a dark gray sedan, described as the vehicle that caused the crash, crossed the center line at a high rate of speed and struck an incoming red SUV head-on. Both drivers were taken to the hospital in serious condition, and the other driver was identified as a 23-year-old woman, though the Boone County Sheriff's Office has not released her name.
Age and Charge Details Differ Between Reports
Accounts of the case diverge on some specifics. ABC 17 News reports Warrick is 46 years old, while the same KOMU report on his condition lists him as 49. The outlets also differ on the scope of the citations: ABC 17 News, citing a Boone County Sheriff's Office spokesman, says Warrick was cited on five criminal counts, including driving without a license, while KOMU's report names four offenses — driving while intoxicated resulting in serious physical injury, driving while license is revoked or suspended, failure to drive on the right half of the roadway, and failure to register a motor vehicle.
What is consistent across the reporting is the core allegation: that Warrick was suspected of driving while intoxicated and caused a crash resulting in serious physical injury. Under Missouri law, a driver who acts with criminal negligence while intoxicated and causes serious physical injury can face that specific charge, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes. That statutory language does not by itself establish that Warrick committed the offense or resolve how his case will ultimately be charged.
Summons Issued in Lieu of Arrest
Boone County deputies issued Warrick a summons rather than arresting him because he could not be physically arrested and booked into the Boone County Jail, Capt. Brian Leer said, per the same account from KOMU. A summons functions as an order to appear in court, but it does not by itself mean charges have been filed. The sheriff's office said it plans to forward the citations and investigative reports to prosecutors for consideration of formal charges.
Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson expects charges to be filed by Nov. 18, according to ABC 17 News. Warrick also suffered serious injuries in the collision and was one of two drivers involved, both of whom remain part of an ongoing criminal investigation into exactly what happened on the roadway that afternoon.
A Known Trouble Spot for Speeding
The stretch of East St. Charles Road where the crash occurred has drawn safety concerns before. A supervisor at the nearby golf course told KOMU that speeding in the area has been an issue for years, a complaint that predates this particular collision. Columbia Public Works has said it can analyze crash reports to identify trends and root causes, and use that data to adjust resources aimed at improving safety along city roadways.
For now, the case remains open while prosecutors weigh the sheriff's office's citations against Warrick. The final scope of any charges, along with unresolved questions about his exact age and the full list of alleged offenses, will likely come into clearer focus once Boone County prosecutors act on the referral.
