Despite medical card, Springfield man charged with DWI for marijuana use in fatal crash

A Springfield man with a medical marijuana card has been charged with a felony after police say he was high on marijuana when he crashed his car into a pedestrian who later died.

David Busick, 66, was charged Thursday with DWI resulting in death and a careless driving misdemeanor for a December 2021 crash on West Chestnut Expressway that killed 43-year-old Matthew Wood.

Court documents say police suspected Busick might be intoxicated when they contacted him after the crash because his eyes were glassy and bloodshot, his speech was slurred and he was staggering. But a breathalyzer test revealed he had no alcohol in his system.

Busick allegedly told police he had smoked marijuana one to two hours before the crash. Police were able to confirm that he did have a card allowing him to use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

A blood test later showed that Busick had THC (the main psychoactive compound in marijuana) and Carboxy-THC in his system at the time of the crash, according to court documents.

More: Could this year's 4/20 be the last without legal recreational marijuana in Missouri?

Even though police confirmed Busick had a medical marijuana card allowing him to use marijuana under state law, prosecutors contend that driving under the influence of marijuana is still illegal.

Online court records indicate a warrant was issued for Busick. He does not have an attorney listed for this case.

DWI resulting in death is a Class B felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Ralph Green is a business reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Contact him at RAGreen@gannett.com, by phone: (417-536-4061) or on Twitter at RalphGreenNL

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Man with medical marijuana card charged with DWI in fatal crash